Himachal CM Sukhu returns from Delhi after deliberations with top leadership
Sunil Chadha
Shimla: After a whirlwind visit to Delhi, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has returned to Shimla amid growing buzz that the Congress high command may finally announce a new state party president after Diwali.
The move could bring an end nearly to a year of organisational vacuum and internal power tussles that have paralysed the Congress unit in the state since its formal disbandment in November 2024.
During his Delhi visit, Sukhu reportedly met senior Congress leaders KC Venugopal and Rajni Patil, the AICC in-charge for Himachal. The closed-door meetings focused on the long-pending organisational revamp, cabinet expansion and preparations for the upcoming panchayat elections. Sources say the CM also gave inputs regarding the lone vacant cabinet berth in his government.
Organisational paralysis may end soon
For the past nine months, Pratibha Singh has remained the only official office-bearer of the Congress state unit after the high command dissolved all district and block-level bodies. The delay in appointing a new team has not only frustrated party workers on the ground but also exposed deep factional rifts within the state leadership.
Several names are doing the rounds for the post of new PCC chief, including former president and Theog MLA Kuldeep Singh Rathore, Education Minister Rohit Thakur and MLA Sanjay Awasthi. Assembly Deputy Speaker Vinay Kumar is also reportedly in the race.
Interestingly, Rohit Thakur has already declared that he would resign from his ministerial post if chosen for the state president’s role, a move that could pave the way for two new faces in the cabinet. MLAs Sunder Singh Thakur (Kullu), Sanjay Rattan (Kangra) and Sanjay Awasthi (Arki) are said to be in the race for the potential cabinet induction.
High command under pressure as BJP ‘takes advantage’
While internal meetings have been held in Delhi, some even involving top leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Congress high command has so far been unable to break the stalemate.
Observers say the delay stems from a power tussle between Chief Minister Sukhu’s camp and Pratibha Singh’s faction. Adding to the complexity is the reluctance of ministers to give up cabinet posts for organisational roles. Names such as Anirudh Singh, Harshwardhan Singh, Ashish Butail and Vinod Sultanpuri have also been discussed but with no final consensus.
In sharp contrast, the BJP has moved swiftly, reappointing Dr Rajeev Bindal as its state president and launching a series of public outreach campaigns. BJP spokesperson Rakesh Jamwal recently slammed Congress for the delay, saying: “The high command’s silence reflects the party’s deep internal divisions. If Congress can’t manage Himachal, how will it manage India?”
Despite repeated media questions, AICC in-charge Rajni Patil has offered little clarity, recently deflecting criticism by taking a dig at the BJP instead.
With just 68 Assembly seats and four Lok Sabha constituencies, Himachal may be a small state politically but the ongoing leadership crisis here raises serious questions about Congress’ national management capabilities.
“Congress leaders like Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi campaigned aggressively in the state and played key roles in government formation. Yet, nearly a year later, they haven’t been able to rebuild the party structure. This reflects a wider leadership paralysis,” said a political analyst.
If the Congress cannot manage internal appointments in a small state like Himachal, critics wonder how it plans to challenge the BJP nationally in the upcoming 2026 Lok Sabha elections.
With Diwali just days away, all eyes are now on Delhi — and whether the Congress high command can finally light the way for a re-energised party structure in Himachal.
