What happened when Himachal ex-CM Dhumal went to meet Manmohan Singh at PMO? BJP veteran recalls incident

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Shimla: Recalling one of the most surprising and cherished moments of his political career, former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP veteran Prem Kumar Dhumal shared an endearing memory of his meeting with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
“It was the biggest surprise of my life when the door of the room opened and standing there was none other than the Prime Minister himself,” Dhumal reminisced. “He welcomed me warmly, made me sit, and said, ‘Prem ji, though my party lost, I am happy you became the Chief Minister’.”

Once both were professors in their life

Incidentally, both Manmohan Singh and Prem Kumar Dhumal had been professors at one point in their life and had been teaching in colleges and universities.
Dhumal recounted that the meeting occurred in December 2007, shortly after he was sworn in as Chief Minister for the second time.
On December 31, he sought an appointment with Dr Manmohan Singh and was informed by the PMO that only two-three minutes could be spared. However, when he arrived at the PMO, the interaction turned into a heartfelt exchange lasting much longer than expected.

Memorable exchange

During their discussion, Dhumal mentioned how he had refrained from sitting in the Chief Minister’s chair until he sought Delhi’s support and blessings.
Singh’s response left a lasting impression on him: “Prem ji, if you face any problems, call me immediately. Your friend in Delhi is always here to help.”
The former Prime Minister’s humility was further evident when he personally escorted Dhumal to the door after the meeting, a gesture that deeply moved him.

Bond beyond party lines
Dhumal also recalled their earlier association as parliamentarians —Manmohan Singh as a Rajya Sabha member and Dhumal as a Lok Sabha MP.
He described Singh as a person of extraordinary simplicity and grace, whose words of support and warmth would remain etched in his memory forever.

Sunil Chadda

Sunil Chadda

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