New Delhi: Himachal Pradesh's Chief Minister-elect Virbhadra Singh on March 5 ruled out the appointment of a Deputy Chief Minister, but said Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Vidya Stokes would be accommodated in his ministry, which is likely to have about 13 members.

Singh, who will be sworn-in as Chief Minister on March 6, stated this to reporters after a brief meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi, the first after he was elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP).

He declined to say anything when asked who would be the Speaker of the Assembly.

Asked as to who would succeed Stokes as PCC chief, Singh said, "When Stokes becomes a minister and the post falls vacant, then we would take a decision."

Earlier, Singh said inquiry into the various "scams" of the Dhumal Ministry would be one of the priorities of the new government, "but we have no intention of witch hunting.

"We will proceed on solid facts which can be proved in the court of law," he said.

Singh said the Cabinet would initially be two-tier and he would like it as small as possible.

PTI