Politics may be full of twists and turns but it’s all about the timing. And in Himachal Pradesh, the question of who will carry forward the rich legacy of the state's towering late political icon Virbhadra Singh may find answers in the impending electoral battles.
As the state gets ready for four by-polls, the crucial Mandi Parliamentary seat in the home district of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and ‘Holly Lodge’, Virbhadra Singh’s private bungalow in town, are under close watch by both the masses and the ruling BJP.
The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) led by Mukesh Agnihotri, one of Virbhadra Singh’s staunch loyalists, reached out to former Chief Minister’s wife Pratibha Singh and urged her to contest Mandi Parliamentary seat, which she and her husband had represented six times together - twice by Pratibha Singh.
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“She is the most potential candidate. Though Raja Sahib (Virbhadra Singh) had a mass base in every part of the state Mandi was his strongest bastion. Pratibha Singh ji will have several advantages over the BJP, and also any other party candidate to get the support and sympathy for Raja Sahib to wrest this seat” says Harshwardhan Chauhan, a senior party MLA.
The CLP held a detailed discussion on fielding Pratibha Singh which was followed by a delegation of 11 MLAs. The delegation visited Holly-Lodge and apprised the former CM’s wife about the decision and sentiments of the MLAs.
Those who met Pratibha Singh also included Mukesh Agnihotri, Harshwardhan Chauhan, Nand Lal, Ram Lal Thakur, Jagat Singh Negi and I D Lakhanpal.
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It's believed in the Congress circles that if Pratibha Singh contests the bypoll, she will have overwhelming support in Kinnaur district as well as Rampur, the native town of Virbhadra Singh. This is besides the sympathy factor in Lahaul-Spiti and Bharmour, Mandi and Kullu districts. There is no other leader in the Congress who can reap such an advantage over the BJP's influence in Mandi
Virbhadra Singh was elected to the Lok Sabha at age of 28 from Mahasu Parliamentary in 1962 and again in 1967. Later he switched to Mandi in 1971 and registered a win. He also won this seat in 1977, 1980 and finally in 2009 when he was also inducted as a cabinet minister in UPA-II.
Virbhadra Singh died on July 8 at age of 87. He was MLA from Arki in Solan, a seat which will also witness bypoll along with two others – Jubbal Kotkhai (Shimla) and Fatehpur (Kangra)
Before the CLP ‘s move, AICC in-charge for Himachal Pradesh Rajeev Shukla had also paid a visit to Holly Lodge and tried to convince Pratibha Singh to contest Mandi Seat, which she had lost to Ram Swaroop Sharma of the BJP in 2014.
Virbhadra Singh’s son Vikramaditya Singh is also MLA from Shimla (rural), a seat which his legendary father has also presented as Chief Minister from 2012-2017.
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Pratibha Singh has, however, told the party leaders that she will take some time to fully make up her mind as currently, it's a question of emotional stability after such a huge loss in the family and state.
