Shimla, Nov. 27 -- For the newly appointed president of Himachal Pradesh state Congress, Vinay Kumar, the biggest challenge is strengthening the party cadre. "Strengthening the organisation, in a scenario when the party cadre has been defunct for almost a year is the biggest challenge," said newly appointed party president Vinay Kumar, who formally takes charge on November 30 at party office in Shimla, speaking to Hindustan Times on Wednesday over the phone. AICC in-charge for Himachal Rajni Patil, co-incharge Chetan Chauhan and Vidit Chaudhary are expected to be present on the occasion. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, outgoing state Congress president Pratibha Singh, all members of the state Cabinet, Congress MLAs, and other senior party leaders would be present. The leaders of Youth Congress, Mahila Congress, Seva Dal, NSUI and departments have been asked to attend the function. Vinay, a three-time MLA from Renuka Ji, was appointed as the president of Congress's state unit on November 22 soon after he resigned from the post of deputy speaker of Himachal legislative assembly. "Party high command has trusted me with this responsibility, so strengthening the organisation and taking every worker along will be my first priority," he said while adding that the new responsibility comes at a crucial time for the party in Himachal Pradesh. "There is some discontentment among workers, and it is natural in a large organisation. My effort will be to resolve issues through dialogue and ensure unity at every level. We will walk together with all wings of the party - Mahila Congress, Youth Congress, NSUI - and strengthen the Congress across the state," he said. Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee has been lying defunct since November last year after party's national president Mallikarjun Kharge dissolved the committee on November 6, 2024, along with the district and block units. However, the party high command had retained Pratibha Singh as president of the unit. Her tenure had come to an end in April this year. With Kumar's appointment as party president Congress aims to consolidate support among the Scheduled Caste community, which makes up nearly 25% of Himachal Pradesh's population, ahead of the 2027 assembly elections. "I have stood with the Congress in good and difficult times. My family has been associated with the party for generations. Now, as HPCC chief, I will work with full sincerity to strengthen the organisation and support our government in Himachal Pradesh," said Kumar who won assembly elections in 2012, 2017 and 2022 and was a chief parliamentary secretary in the Virbhadra Singh government and he also remained acting president of the party. Kumar's father, late Prem Singh, also represented the Renuka Ji assembly seat for almost three decades....