Wanted: Next In Line

The king’s twilight is a paradox, a quiet life in reflection like the harvest moon flattering the Dhauladhar. Quite the kind of life one would expect an 86-year-old to have—retired or semi-retired, his kingdom and legacy in gifted hands. But that’s not quite for Congress stalwart Virbhadra Singh, aka Raja Sahib, in Himachal Pradesh, a state that has been the party’s fortress for decades until the BJP’s rise. The Congress—riddled with factions and infighting—has yet to find someone with pan-Himachal acceptability that six-time chief minister Virbhadra had. It is symptomatic of the Congress, more so in the hill state.

Several leaders have shown promise, but haven’t earned their salt. Take Mukesh Agnihotri, the Congress legislature party leader and a Virbhadra loyalist. He is aiming for the crown, aggressively taking on the BJP government. Another frontrunner could be six-time MLA Asha Kumari—articulate, adroit organiser, she is skillfully handling Punjab as AICC in-charge. And a bloodline to match—a Rajput, she is the daughter-in–law of Chamba royalty.

There could be a top contender in former minister G.S. Bali too—a Kangra leader on the margins since his 2017 election defeat. He is trying to unite faction-ridden Congress leaders, including Sudhir Sharma, a former minister and son of party veteran the late Pandit Sant Ram. Bali carries weight as Kangra, his stronghold, has 15 assembly seats. Seniors like Kaul Singh Thakur, sidelined since 2012, could not be overlooked either but his signature on the controversial letter of 23 Congress leaders to the party high command for organisational changes may jeopardise his chances.For their part, Virbhadra’s detractors believe he is hard-selling son Vikramaditya Singh, the first-time MLA for Shimla (rural), a seat the father vacated and got the ‘heir-apparent’ elected in 2017. But can Vikramaditya step into his father’s shoes? Lineage he has—inherited from his father, a scion of Rampur-Bushahr royalty. But Vikramaditya chases a shadow much longer than his: the legacy of his father.

Raja Sahib cut his political teeth when Nehru was PM, becoming an MP in 1962 and repeating the feat four more times. A four-time PCC president and a Union minister, he always had party rival Sukh Ram, who shifted to the BJP later, at his heels. He had his ups and downs (an investigation into assets disproportionate to his income et al), but the admiration he commands transcends political equations. He calls chief minister Jai Ram Thakur a gentleman; and the BJP leader responds with due respect. Since the rise of the BJP’s Shanta Kumar and Prem Kumar Dhumal—both two–time chief ministers—the party has been accommodating a clutch of young leaders. Like chief minister Thakur, Union minister of state (finance) Anurag Thakur, and BJP state unit chief Suresh Kashyap, also a parliamentarian. But what befuddles even the BJP is who will emerge from Virbhadra’s shadow in the Congress?

By Ashwani Sharma in Shimla