Sudhir-Raghubir Bali political rivalry plays out in Bir Billing as Paragliding World Cup starts tomorrow
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The scenic skies of Himachal Pradesh’s Bir Billing Valley, globally celebrated for paragliding, now carry not just adventure sport lovers but a simmering political rivalry.
As the much-anticipated Paragliding World Cup launched on Friday (November 1, 2024), the spotlight was again on the rift between Dharamshala BJP MLA Sudhir Sharma and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s close ally, Nagrota Bagwan MLA Raghubir Singh Bali.
Sudhir, who was earlier with the Congress and played a pivotal role in propelling Bir Billing onto the global paragliding stage, had last year hosted a competing world cup at Narwana, a site in Kangra. His event, the Paragliding Accuracy Pre-World Cup at Narwana, marked his attempt to reposition himself in the Himachal adventure sports landscape.
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A close associate of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, Sudhir’s split from the Congress a few months ago left him in political isolation, yet he is now challenging the very institution he helped create —the Billing Paragliding Association (BPA).
In contrast, Raghubir Singh Bali, a young Congress leader seen as aligned with Chief Minister Sukhu, is emerging as Sudhir’s successor within the Congress’ Kangra region. Bali’s rise within the adventure sports sphere and his proximity to Sukhu signal a shift as the political reins of Bir Billing may soon pass to him, possibly diminishing Sudhir’s long-standing influence in the region.
Bali is the chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation and Chief Minister Sukhu has vowed to Kangra region as the tourism hub of north India.
Akin to former Union Minister Anurag Thakur’s sports diplomacy with cricket in Dharamshala, Sudhir and Bali have been trying to tap into the youth demographic, a crucial base for local support.
The Paragliding World Cup will be inaugurated by RS Bali, Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation, while the closing ceremony is expected to feature Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu as the chief guest.
As the world watches, the event promises to highlight the adventure tourism potential of Himachal Pradesh, bringing international visibility and prestige to the state’s natural beauty and paragliding prowess.
