Vikramaditya Singh defends cabinet colleague Dhaniram Shandil
Munish Sood
MANDI: The Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government in Himachal Pradesh is facing one of its toughest tests — not from the opposition BJP, but from within. In a rare and controversial trend, the sons of cabinet ministers have begun openly challenging their own fathers and, in the process, questioning the state government’s promise of “Vyavastha Parivartan” (system change).
Political analysts say this unusual development reflects both internal unrest and frustration within the Congress, where dissatisfaction with governance and bureaucracy is now spilling out in public.
Health minister’s son sparks storm
The latest controversy broke out when Colonel Sanjay Shandil, son of Health Minister Colonel (Dr.) Dhaniram Shandil, went public on social media against corruption in his father’s department.
In a strongly worded post, Sanjay wrote: “Remove the corrupt officials exploiting even the disabled. Sack those extorting money and damaging the image of my father, the most honest politician of Himachal Pradesh.”
He directly accused senior officers in the Health Department of being corrupt and warned that if such practices continued, they will damage both the minister’s personal reputation and the credibility of the entire government.
This statement came just days after a huge uproar over Health Minister Shandil’s proposed foreign tour. The minister, along with a team, was set to travel abroad for an official visit. However, once details leaked, opposition leaders hit out, calling it “foreign holidaying” at a time when Himachal was struggling with natural disaster losses and a severe cash crunch. The criticism forced Shandil to cancel the tour. Son Sanjay was supposed to accompany the minister.
By then, however, the damage was done. The opposition had scored points and Sanjay’s post added fuel by pointing out that bureaucrats, not politicians, were running the show unchecked.
Neeraj Bharti too had revolted against govt
This is not the first time a minister’s son has gone public against the government. A few months earlier, Neeraj Bharti, former CPS and son of Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar, shocked the political circles by threatening to fight against his own father and the government over transfer policies.
After Minister Chander Kumar told the media that “transfer grievances had been resolved”, Neeraj lashed out on Facebook: “If these transfers are not cancelled today, I will openly fight—even if it means against you and your government. For now, enjoy your ministerial chair.”
The post openly pitted father against son. Analysts said this wasn’t just about personal rivalry but reflected the anger among Congress workers who felt “sidelined and ignored in postings and transfers”.
Neeraj is seen as a future MLA candidate since his father is now 81. His statements, therefore, were also read as a warning shot for the party leadership, suggesting he is ready to stake his claim even at the cost of party unity.
Vikramaditya defends Shandil
As the Sanjay Shandil controversy gained traction, PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh, son of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, stepped in to defend Health Minister Dhanimam Shandil.
Vikramaditya praised Shandil as “an epitome of honesty, discipline, and service,” both in his military career and his political life. He reminded the public that Shandil had served the Army with distinction from 1962 to 1996, reaching the rank of Colonel, and had carried the same values into his public life as MLA, MP, and now minister.
He further said: “The criticism of Shandil over the foreign tour is unfair and politically motivated. His spotless career should not be maligned.”
But while meant as support, Vikramaditya’s intervention only underlined the deep cracks. Analysts believe his statement indicates ministers are being forced to defend their reputations in public, rather than focus on governance.
Political analysts see deeper crisis
Experts say these repeated episodes are no coincidence. When two different ministers’ sons openly rebel within months, it signals an internal crisis that cannot be brushed aside.
“Ministers’ sons are not ordinary party workers but reflect the mood of the grassroots as well as the political heirs of today’s leaders. If they are questioning governance, it means the dissatisfaction is much wider,” said a senior political analyst in Shimla.
Another analyst noted: “Sukhu came to power on the promise of Vyavastha Parivartan. But if his own colleagues’ families are calling out corruption and mismanagement, it shows that system change has not reached anywhere. Instead, bureaucrats seem to be running the government while ministers are constantly firefighting.”
Opposition Smells Blood
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been quick to exploit these developments. It has already been accusing the Congress government of being “directionless, divided, and dishonest.” With sons of ministers themselves airing grievances, the BJP sees an opportunity to further attack the ruling party’s credibility.
“The Congress cannot even control its own family members. How will it run the state?” a BJP spokesperson remarked.
In response to a question from the media, Chief Minister Sukhu said that he did not understand why so much discussion was taking place on this issue. He said a minister could proceed on a foreign trip only after the Chief Minister signed the approval. “I haven’t signed anything yet. If in the future they need to go, they will come and discuss it with me,” he said.
