(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) The Congress on Saturday appointed senior party leader Vinay Kumar as the new President of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC), replacing Pratibha Singh. The appointment, announced through an official communication from the All India Congress Committee (AICC), takes immediate effect.

A statement in this regard was issued by AICC General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal.

The statement mentioned that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has appointed Vinay Kumar as the "President of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee with immediate effect".

The party also acknowledged the work of the outgoing Pradesh Congress Committee chief.

"The party appreciates the contributions of the outgoing PCC President, Smt. Pratibha Singh,” the statement added.

The one-page press note, issued from the AICC headquarters in New Delhi, however, did not specify the reason for the leadership change or outline any further organisational restructuring for the state unit.

Vinay Kumar, a prominent organisational face in Himachal Pradesh, has held various roles within the state unit and the legislature. His appointment comes at a time when the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, is navigating both administrative and organisational challenges.

Pratibha Singh, who has now been replaced, is a senior party leader and Member of Parliament. She has earlier served multiple terms as HPCC president and has been a key figure in the state unit's organisational decisions.

The change in leadership comes ahead of important political cycles in the state, including ongoing party restructuring exercises being undertaken nationally by the Congress.

The AICC communication indicated no other changes or appointments concerning the Himachal Pradesh unit as of Saturday.

This marks another instance of the Congress continuing with state-level organisational updates, a process the party has been carrying out across several states since the beginning of the year.

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