Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu: Driver’s son steered to top in Himachal past Virbhadra roadblocks

Sukhu was appointed chief of the state unit of the NSUI in 1989, helmed the state unit of the Youth Congress (1998-2008), got elected as a councillor twice (1992-2002) before entering the Vidhan Sabha as an MLA in 2003, headed the state Congress committee (2013-2019). And, now Chief Minister!

Born on March 27, 1964, at Bhavarna village of Nadaun in Hamirpur district, the four-time MLA studied law from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla. His father Rasil Singh was a driver with the state roadways. As a student, he did menial jobs to supplement his income.

He has always been resolute in what he wanted to do. Carrying a non-controversial image, he marched on the political landscape with conviction, developed a strong support base among the people and within the party cadres. He is learnt to be on good terms with the Gandhis.

He had always been on the wrong side of six-time CM late Virbhadra Singh, but always stood his ground valiantly. Even as his PCC president, the tenure was marked by acrimonious relationship with the then CM Virbhadra.

“I’m committed to the party ideology. It was all issue-based — there were issues on which I supported him (Virbhadra Singh) and there were issues on which I opposed him,” Sukhu had told The Indian Express in an interview on May 13 this year.

On the personal front, his wife Kamlesh is a house maker. The couple has two daughters, who study in Delhi.

Meanwhile, the state will also have a deputy chief minister for the first time ever in five-time legislator Mukesh Agnihotri, who was a journalist before joining politics under late Virbhadra Singh’s mentorship.

Agnihotri contested his first election in 2003 from the Santokgarh Assembly seat in Una district. He was re-elected from the constituency in 2007. He won the 2012, 2017, 2022 elections from Haroli, which was known as Santokhgarh before delimitation.