Young Turks Raghubir Singh Bali (45) and Kewal Singh Pathania (55), both first-time MLAs, have been running the show for the Congress in the politically significant Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.
Representing Nagrota Bagwan and Shahpur Assembly constituencies, both Bali and Pathania are currently seen close to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu camp, though the latter was earlier considered a key lieutenant of the Holly Lodge faction.
While Bali is the Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation and Vice-Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Board, Pathania is the Congress deputy chief whip in the Vidhan Sabha. Both leaders have been enjoying these posts with a cabinet rank, signifying their proximity to Chief Minister Sukhu.
If the political standing of the two leaders is compared, Bali is on a stronger footing as his father and veteran Congress leader late GS Bali won from Nagrota Bagwan in 1998, 2003, 2007 and 2012. He lost only once in 2017 and passed away in 2021. The Bali Junior inherited his father’s vast political legacy and rode to power in his very first election as an MLA.
Having business interests in hospitality, health and other fields, Bali is among the richest MLAs in the Himachal Assembly, his total declared assets totalling nearly Rs 100 crore. Having had international exposure, Bali is considered the Sukhu camp’s equivalent to young and dynamic PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh of the Holly Lodge faction.
Pathania, on the other hand, belongs to a common household and lost two elections from Shahpur in 2007 and 2017 before he became the legislator in 2022. He each time lost to BJP’s Sarveen Choudhary, who has remained a minister in the previous saffron party governments.
Son of late Karam Singh, Pathania completed his MA in political science in 1994 and LLB in 1998 at Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla. His wife is a government employee. He was a former state hockey player.
Pathania started his political career in 1987 in National Students Union of India. He was the college president at Government Post Graduate College, Dharamshala, from 1987 to 1991. He also served the State Congress Committee as an office-bearer. He has held various important positions in the previous Congress government, including being a member of the Board of Directors of Himuda during Virbhadra Singh’s administration.
Young Turks Bali, Kewal Pathania emerge Congress stars under Sukhu rule in Kangra
