Himachal Pradesh minister and Congress MLA Vikramaditya Singh resigned from his ministerial post, deepening the crisis for the Congress-led government in the state, a day after it contested the Rajya Sabha elections for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had lost despite having a clear majority.
Singh said he resigned as the votes of MLAs were suppressed in the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government over the past year.
Royal turns rebellious
Vikramaditya Singh was born on October 17, 1989 into the Rajput royal family of the princely state of Bushahr. Thirty-four-year-old Singh is the son of former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, the late Virbhadra Singh, perhaps the tallest leader in the hill state. Singh also accused Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of disrespecting his father, who had been the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh six times.
Also read: Himachal Pradesh: DK Shivakumar heading to Shimla to resolve Congress political crisis as MLA Vikramaditya resigns
Singh's mother, Pratibha Singh, is an MP from Mandi's Lok Sabha seat in Himachal Pradesh. His sister, Abhilasha Kumari, is a former judge and judicial member of the Lokpal Committee of India.
On July 10, 2021, two days after his father's death, Vikramaditya Singh was crowned titular king of the erstwhile princely state of Bushahr in a private ceremony at Padam Palace in Rampur.
After his early education at Shimla's Bishop Cotton School, Vikramaditya did his graduate and post-graduation in history from the University of Delhi. He received his bachelor's degree in history from Hansraj College, Delhi and his master's degree from St. Stephen's College, Delhi.
Also read: Himachal Pradesh Minister Vikramaditya Singh resigns a day after the Rajya Sabha election results
Political journey
Vikramaditya Singh is the MLA from Shimla Rural constituency. His political journey began in 2013 when he joined the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee. He was elected president of Himachal Pradesh State Youth Congress in 2013. In 2017, he won from Shimla Rural constituency for the first time as Member of Legislative Assembly for Himachal Pradesh.
Vikramaditya won the seat again in 2022. On January 8, 2023, it was the first time in history that father-son duo Virbhadra Singh and Vikramaditya Singh took oath as MLAs before the same assembly. Never before had a father and son been members of the same house in Himachal Pradesh. Vikramaditya became Minister of PWD, Youth Services and Sports and Minister of Urban Development in the Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government.
Last month, Vikramaditya visited the Ram temple in Ayodhya, defying the stand of Congress leaders. In fact, he was a state guest of the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in Uttar Pradesh.
Unlock a world of benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time inventory management, breaking news and a personalized news feed – it's all there, just one click away! Log in now!
View all political news and updates on DailyExertNews. View the latest Budget 2024 promotions here. Download the Mint News app for daily market updates and live business news.
. or less
Published: Feb 28, 2024 1:06 PM IST