Sunil Chadha
Shimla:
More than two years into Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s tenure, the Congress in Himachal Pradesh finds itself still leaning on the legacy of the late six-time CM Virbhadra Singh. Even in death, Virbhadra remains the party’s most potent symbol — a towering figure whose influence the current leadership hasn’t been able to replace, let alone surpass.
With mounting public dissatisfaction over unfulfilled promises, largely attributed to the state’s poor financial condition, the Congress seems to be returning, once again, to the aura of its most enduring mass leader as it looks ahead to the 2027 Assembly polls.
Shadow that refuses to fade
From 1983 to 2017, Virbhadra Singh was the Congress’ undisputed face in Himachal whenever it came to power. Known as the architect of modern Himachal, his political legacy is considered bigger than that of Yashwant Singh Parmar, the state’s founder.
Even during his lifetime, no other Congress leader — not Sukh Ram, Kaul Singh or Vidya Stokes — could match his public appeal or challenge his hold over the CM’s chair. CM Sukhu himself couldn’t even make it to the Cabinet while Virbhadra was alive.
Now, despite Virbhadra’s demise in 2021, the Congress invoked his name and image heavily during the 2022 state elections — and is continuing to do so as Sukhu’s popularity plateaus. “Legends never die,” goes the saying — and in Himachal Pradesh Congress, it seems more a political strategy than a proverb.
Family carries the flame and fight
The late leader’s family, his wife Pratibha Singh, who is now the Himachal Congress president, and son Vikramaditya Singh, the state PWD minister, has been instrumental in keeping his legacy in public view.
They fought a pitched battle to get Virbhadra’s statue installed on the Ridge in Shimla, alongside that of Parmar. It was more than a family demand — it was a political assertion. Vikramaditya and Pratibha frequently clashed with the Sukhu-led government, subtly reminding the party that the Virbhadra brand remains indispensable.
The unveiling of the statue, expected to be attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, is being projected as a major political event. It underscores the continued centrality of Virbhadra’s name in Congress’ narrative — a reflection of both nostalgia and necessity.
Opposition and allies alike echo his importance
What makes Virbhadra’s enduring relevance even more striking is the reverence even by opposition leaders. On his birth anniversary, even BJP MLA Sudhir Sharma, a staunch critic of the Sukhu regime who was part of the Congress rebellion against the current government, praised Virbhadra as “an era in himself”. BJP veteran and former CM Jai Ram Thakur also heaped praises on Virbhadra.
At the fourth death anniversary ceremony at the Padam Palace in Rampur, attended by Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, dignitaries across party lines paid rich tributes. The Governor called him “a visionary, a cultural guardian and a servant of the people,” further strengthening the impression that Virbhadra Singh’s image continues to transcend contemporary political divides.
