Munish Sood
MANDI:
A remark made by Cabinet Minister Anirudh Singh during a public event in Theog in Shimla district has once again brought attention to the delay in the appointment of a new Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president.
From the stage, Anirudh Singh said he was confident that Kuldeep Rathore would be the next Congress chief, a statement that quickly became the subject of political discussion across the state.
The comment comes at a time when the state Congress organisation has been inactive for almost a year. The HPCC has remained defunct since November 6, 2024, when Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge dissolved the state, district and block units as part of an organisational restructuring. Although Pratibha Singh was retained as president, her term ended in April this year, leaving the state unit without direction.
High command summoned 6 Himachal leaders for consultation
To resolve the issue, the Congress high command had recently called six leaders from Himachal to Delhi for discussions. They include Education Minister Rohit Thakur, Deputy Speaker Vinay Kumar, Theog MLA Kuldeep Rathore, Palampur MLA Ashish Butail, Kasauli MLA Vinod Sultanpuri and Bhoranj MLA Suresh Kumar.
The meeting, convened by Mallikarjun Kharge at the request of Rahul Gandhi, began with a joint session followed by one-on-one meetings.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has reportedly told the party leadership that if the next state chief is to be selected from the Scheduled Caste community, the choice should be made quickly. He also said that if a cabinet minister is chosen, the opinion of the state cabinet should be taken into account. “No name has been proposed from my side,” Sukhu clarified when asked about his preferences.
Growing discontent within the party
The delay in reconstituting the state unit has caused visible discontent among party members. Over the past several months, AICC secretaries Vidit Chaudhary and Chetan Chauhan, along with state in-charge Raj Patil, have held multiple rounds of talks with leaders, legislators and workers. Despite these efforts, no consensus candidate has been finalised.
Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar, 80, recently expressed concern, saying the Congress organisation in the state had become “paralysed” due to inaction.
Former state president Pratibha Singh has also warned that the prolonged delay was “harming the party”. She urged the high command to ensure that the legacy of six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh is honoured in the selection process and that the next leader is “widely acceptable across factions”.
Key decision ahead of elections
The party’s reorganisation in Himachal comes ahead of the panchayat elections and the 2027 Assembly polls. The new president will have the task of rebuilding the organisation and strengthening coordination between the government and the party.
Even as the Congress continues to follow its “one man, one post” policy, the leadership must decide whether a serving minister can hold the PCC chief’s post and whether appointing three working presidents alongside the new chief will help maintain regional and caste balance.
For now, the state Congress remains in a state of uncertainty, as the final decision rests with the party high command in Delhi.
