Pratibha, Vikramaditya skip HP govt Anniversary Event; Virbhadra family sidestepped in party show

The third anniversary celebrations of the Himachal Pradesh government today witnessed a notable absence, as Congress stalwart and former HPCC Chief Pratibha Singh and her son, PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh, skipped the party’s Jansampark Sammelan at Mandi.
Sources close to Pratibha Singh said both leaders left for the United Kingdom earlier in the day. Vikramaditya Singh is scheduled to receive an award in London and is accompanied by his wife, Dr. Amreen Kaur Sekhon, a professor at Panjab University.

Pratibha Singh, who relinquished the post of state Congress Chief recently, currently holds no organisational or governmental position. Although she was expected to attend the Mandi event, she reportedly stayed away due to her bitter experience at last year’s anniversary function in Bilaspur, where she was asked to cut short her speech.
She later complained to the AICC over the non-formation of the HPCC body, but after a year-long wait, she now stands sidelined.

Advertisement

The absence of the Virbhadra Singh family, long central to Congress politics in the state, signals a shift in the internal power balance. For nearly six decades, the family has played a defining role, particularly in Shimla district. Their exclusion from the celebrations marks a significant break from political tradition.

This year, the Congress shifted its mobilisation efforts to lower Himachal, focusing on Hamirpur, Mandi, Kullu and the Dehra region of Kangra district. The rally also saw a strong turnout from the home constituency of Kamlesh Kumari, wife of the Chief Minister, reflecting an attempt to consolidate support in key areas ahead of the coming political season.