Frustration growing among party cadres
Sunil Chadha
Shimla: A full year has passed since the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) was disbanded, and yet, there are no visible signs of organisational restructuring. Diwali was the expected deadline earlier but over two weeks after the festival, party cadres across the hill state continue to wait anxiously for the Congress high command to announce a new team.
The Himachal unit of the Congress was dissolved on November 6, 2024, by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, in what was then described as a “routine restructuring exercise”. But with the party’s state executive, district and block-level bodies still lying vacant, the rank and file are growing restless.
“The wait must end now. Never in the past has the Himachal unit faced such a prolonged organisational vacuum,” said a senior Congress worker in Shimla, reflecting the prevailing discontent among party loyalists.
Sukhu returns from Delhi; hopes rise
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who has paid several visits to Delhi and held a series of meetings with top party leaders, had earlier hinted that the new state president could be announced soon after Diwali.
During his visit, Sukhu held discussions with AICC general secretary KC Venugopal and party in-charge for Himachal Rajni Patil. Sources said deliberations revolved around the long-pending organisational revamp, cabinet expansion and preparations for the upcoming panchayat elections. Sukhu is also believed to have shared his views on filling the lone vacant cabinet berth in his government.
Only Pratibha Singh remains in office
Since the disbanding last year, Pratibha Singh, former MP from Mandi and widow of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, has remained the only official office-bearer of the Himachal Congress. The absence of district and block committees has led to confusion on the ground and widened the factional divide between the camps led by Sukhu and Pratibha Singh.
The delay has also created uncertainty over the next Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief. Names doing the rounds include Kuldeep Singh Rathore, Education Minister Rohit Thakur, MLA Sanjay Awasthi and Deputy Speaker Vinay Kumar.
Interestingly, Thakur has publicly declared that he would step down as minister if appointed state president, a gesture being seen as a bid to strike balance between governance and organisational priorities.
Factionalism and central indecision stall progress
Party insiders say the main hurdle lies in reconciling competing interests within the state unit. While Chief Minister Sukhu’s camp wants greater say in the appointments, Pratibha Singh’s faction insists on a leadership role for her loyalists.
Several names — such as Anirudh Singh, Ashish Butail and Vinod Sultanpuri — have also surfaced during deliberations, but sources admit that consensus remains elusive.
Observers believe the prolonged indecision reflects deeper challenges within the national leadership. Despite the Congress forming the government in Himachal in 2022 after a high-voltage campaign led by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the state unit has been left directionless since its disbanding.
“The Congress’ inability to rebuild its structure in a small state like Himachal raises questions about its national strategy ahead of the 2026 Lok Sabha polls,” said a political analyst.
