The Congress Saturday appointed Vinay Kumar, a third-time MLA from Shri Renuka Ji Assembly constituency, as the new president of the party’s Himachal Pradesh unit, replacing Pratibha Singh and putting an end to uncertainty that prevailed even since the previous Pradesh Congress Committee was dissolved on November 6 last year.
Kumar (47) was the Deputy Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha and tendered his resignation from the post, which was accepted by Speaker Kuldeep Pathania.
In an official communication, AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has appointed Kumar as the president of Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee with immediate effect. “The party appreciates the contributions of the outgoing PCC president, Pratibha Singh,” he said.
After the PCC was dissolved last year, Pratibha, a former MP and wife of former six-time chief minister the late Virbhadra Singh, was asked to continue as PCC chief till further orders.
Kumar, who earlier served as state unit’s working president, was considered close to Virbhadra and it is believed that a faction within the state Congress, close to the former CM’s family, had pushed his name as replacement for Pratibha.
Hailing from a Scheduled Caste community, Kumar was born in an agriculturist Koli family. Kumar was elected to the Vidhan Sabha for a third consecutive term from Shri Renuka Ji seat in Sirmaur district in 2022. The Assembly segment falls under Shimla parliamentary constituency. He served as chief parliamentary secretary from December 2012 to December 2017 and as the chairman of the Renuka Development Board from 2013 to 2017.
Incidentally, his father Prem Singh had served as a six-time MLA from the Shri Renuka Ji and also served as chief parliamentary secretary and as general secretary, block Congress committee, Renuka Ji.
Sources said the Congress’ central leadership picked Kumar to maintain balance within the state unit, where one faction remains loyal to Virbhadra family and other backs Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
Initially, the Congress was keen on appointing one of the ministers to the post. However, Kumar’s name was pushed after the high command expressed its intention to elevate a Dalit leader to the post. In this context, the name of Kasauli MLA Vinod Sultanpuri, also from the Scheduled Caste category, too made rounds. Kumar was among six leaders from Himachal summoned to New Delhi for consultations with Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha.
Meanwhile, CM Sukhu congratulated the newly appointed party chief.
