Mukesh Agnihotri is an Indian journalist-turned-politician and a member of the Indian National Congress. He is a five-time MLA from the Haroli (erstwhile Santokhgarh) Constituency. On 11 December 2022, Mukesh got appointed as the first Deputy Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Mukesh Agnihotri was born on Tuesday, 9 October 1962 (age 60 Years; as of 2022) in Sangrur, Punjab. His zodiac sign is Libra. He grew up in Una, where he did his schooling. He holds an M.Sc. in Mathematics and a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Relations and Advertisement. [1]HP Vidhan Sabha
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 7″
Hair Colour: Dark Brown
Eye Colour: Dark Brown
Family
Parents & Siblings
Mukesh’s father Pandit Omkar Chand Sharma is a politician and member of the Indian National Congress, who served as the Vice Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Agro Packaging Department during the Virbhadra Singh government in Himachal Pradesh in 1993. Omkar Sharma contested the 1998 legislative assembly elections on a Congress ticket but lost to the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Pandit Jaikishan Sharma. Omkar had also served as the District Public Relations Officer (DPRO) of Himachal Pradesh. His father passed away on 28 March 2016 due to a prolonged illness. Mukesh’s elder brother, Rakesh Agnihotri, is a doctor. He has three sisters.
Wife & Children
Mukesh Agnihotri got married to Simmi Agnihotri on 8 April 1992. Simmi is posted as a professor in the Public Administration Department of Himachal Pradesh University. Together, the couple has a daughter named Aastha Agnihotri, who is a social activist.
Religion
Mukesh Agnihotri follows Hinduism. [2]The Telegraph
Caste
Mukesh Agnihotri belongs to a Brahmin family. [3]The Telegraph
Address
Mukesh’s permanent address is Astha Kunj, Village & P.O. Gondpur Jaichand, Tehsil Haroli, District Una, Himachal Pradesh
Signature
Career
Journalism
Mukesh Agnihotri started his career in journalism as a news correspondent with the Hindi daily Veer Pratap in Shimla. He worked there for a while and then joined Janasatta (Indian Express Group) in Shimla as a Senior Correspondent. He worked there for around 10 years and later moved to Delhi, where he was promoted as Bureau Head. Three years later, he resigned from his position to enter politics. Being a journalist, he served as a member of various committees including the Press Accreditation Committee (H.P. Govt.), the State Press Advisory Committee, the Press Gallery Committee State Legislative Assembly, and the Govt. Pahari Language Committee. He also served as the General Secretary of the Press Club (Shimla) and PCC and Chairman of Media Cell PCC.
Politics
While working as a journalist in Delhi, Agnihotri’s closeness with Congress leader Virbhadra Singh increased after which he decided to join the Indian National Congress. After seeing his involvement in the party matters, Virbhadra Singh advised Mukesh to contest the Legislative Assembly elections. In 2003, Mukesh Agnihotri was elected to the Legislative Assembly from Santokhgarh Constituency. From March 2003 to August 2005, he served as the Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) and Chairman of the Housing Board in the Virbhadra Singh-led government.
In 2007, he secured a majority and won the seat for the second time on a Congress ticket. During his second term, Mukesh served as a member of the Subordinate Legislation, General Development, Public Accounts, and Human Development Committees. After delimitation in the year 2008, Santokhgarh was converted into the Haroli Assembly Seat. In 2012, Agnihotri was re-elected to the Haroli Assembly Seat for the third time. Between 2012- 2017, Mukesh was inducted into the Cabinet as Industry Minister with an additional charge of Labor & Employment, Parliamentary Affairs, and Information & Public Relations. During his term, he worked hard to solve the issues of the people of Haroli and provide good education facilities to students.
In 2017, Mukesh contested and won the Haroli Assembly Seat for the fourth consecutive term. However, this time the government was formed by BJP. The following year, Agnihotri was made the Leader of the Opposition, and he fiercely opened a front against the Jairam government. In 2018, he was also nominated as a member of the Business Advisory Committee in the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly. During the 2022 state elections, the leaders of the Indian National Congress made Agnihotri a star campaigner. Mukesh carried out several rallies across the state to campaign for the Congress candidates. Agnihotri was elected to the fourteenth Legislative Assembly of Himachal Pradesh from the Haroli Constituency on 8 December 2022.
Subsequently, Mukesh was appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. On 11 December 2022, Agnihotri took the oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh at the historic Ridge in Shimla. Many senior Congress leaders including the party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, chairperson of the Indian Youth Congress Rahul Gandhi, and the general secretary of the All India Congress Committee in charge of Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi were present at the oath-taking ceremony.
After being appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Mukesh Agnihotri addressed the media and said that Congress was firm on its promises. He continued,
Our target will be to implement some promises within 10 days or in the first cabinet. If the cabinet is not formed, then only the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister’s cabinet can hold the first cabinet meeting. In which we will implement it. The Old Pension Scheme will be restored. Earlier people said Congress will not come to power in any state, but today we have stopped BJP’s ‘rath’.”
Before becoming an MLA Mukesh served as the general secretary and president of Congress’s Himachal unit’s media cell.
Controversies
Cases Where Pending
- 1 charge related to Assaulting the President, Governor, etc., with intent to compel or restrain the exercise of any lawful power (IPC Section-124)
- 4 charges related to Punishment for Being a member of an unlawful assembly (IPC Section-143)
- 3 charges related to Disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant (IPC Section-188)
Cases Where Convicted
- 3 charges related to Punishment for wrongful restraint (IPC Section-341)
- 2 charges related to an Act endangering the life or personal safety of others (IPC Section-336)
- 1 charge related to Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt (IPC Section-323)
- 1 charge related to Assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty (IPC Section-353)
- 1 charge related to Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace (IPC Section-504)
- 1 charge related to Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention (IPC Section-34) [4]MyNeta
Assets & Properties
Movable Assets
- Cash Rs. 50,000
- Bank Deposits Rs. 74,88,261
- LIC Policy Rs. 50,00,000
- Motor Vehicle Rs. 3,59,263
- Gold Jewellery Rs. 7, 52,000
Immovable Assets
- Agricultural Land Rs. 7, 71, 037
- Residential Buildings Rs. 60,00,000
Note: The given estimates of movable and immovable assets are according to the year 2022. It excludes the assets owned by his wife and dependents (minor). [5]MyNeta
Net Worth
As of 2022, Mukesh’s net worth is estimated to be Rs. 1,54,20,561.
Note: It excludes the net worth of his wife and dependents (minors). [6]MyNeta
Facts/Trivia
- Mukesh loves writing, reading, listening to music, singing, playing the harmonica, and playing badminton in his leisure time.
- In 1994-1995, he received the Best Coverage Award for reporting Assembly proceedings during the year.
- In 2022, Agnihotri was one of the frontrunners for the post of Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. However, the party picked Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu for the post, and he was appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister.
- Apparently, Mukesh Agnihotri is very close to the former chief minister of Himachal Pradesh Virbhadra Singh and his family.
- In 2018, when Mukesh was chosen as the Leader of the Opposition, no house was left available with the Himachal Pradesh government to assign to Agnihotri as all the government houses were occupied by the BJP ministers and other government officials. The government then decided to allot him a flat, but Mukesh refused to reside in a flat. Later, the matter became highly controversial. [7]Amar Ujala
- A religious person, Mukesh often visits various temples with his family.
References
↑1 | HP Vidhan Sabha |
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↑2, ↑3 | The Telegraph |
↑4, ↑5, ↑6 | MyNeta |
↑7 | Amar Ujala |