Shimla: In the ever-evolving power dynamics of Himachal Pradesh politics, subtle signals often speak volumes. In a recent social media post by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, a striking omission — or rather subdued mention — has once again pushed Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh into the spotlight.
The CM’s post, centered around the prestigious accolades received by Himachal Pradesh for its achievements in road safety and infrastructure, highlighted the presentation of two trophies by Dr Abhishek Jain, Secretary, PWD and MD, HPRIDCL.
The HPRIDCL was recently honoured with the ‘Shining Star’ award at the 2024 IRAP Gary Liddle Memorial Trophy held in Marrakech, Morocco.
While the post rightly celebrated the commendable efforts of the departments and their staff, what drew political observers’ attention was the way Vikramaditya Singh, the Cabinet Minister directly overseeing the PWD department, was mentioned last.
The line, “लोक निर्माण मंत्री विक्रमादित्य सिंह जी और अन्य गणमान्य लोग मौजूद रहे,” was appended after all the accolades had been described and credit given. Vikramaditya has been in the news lately for backing Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, who had alleged a conspiracy against him.
With murmurs of internal rifts and power tussles within the ruling party growing stronger, this post has added fresh fuel to the fire. Vikramaditya’s loyalists claim that the repeated underplaying of his contributions amounts to strategic isolation, while CM Sukhu’s camp maintains it’s business as usual.
Nonetheless, political analysts believe the nuanced dynamics between Sukhu and Vikramaditya are now increasingly being played out in the public domain—through statements, social media captions and protocol gestures.
As the Congress government navigates its internal equations amidst public expectations, subtle moves like these are being read as signs of deeper tensions that may influence the political climate in coming days.
S Gopal Puri
