Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu: Rising from humble beginnings to the Chief Minister's post

Pratibha Chauhan

Shimla, December 10

The rise of Sukwinder Singh Sukhu from a humble background to the post of chief minister is a story which could inspire anybody to dream big in politics, especially in a party like Congress, as he has risen from the ranks with no political legacy.

Sukhu, born on March 27, 1964, is a four-time legislator from Nadaun in Hamirpur district but surprisingly has never ever been a minister, Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) or even Chairman of a Board or Corporation in his almost three decade long political career.

His first step into politics was when he became a class representative in Class XI at Government Degree College, in Shimla in 1981. Ever since, he only rose in the Congress organisation at various stages, be it NSUI, Youth Congress and State Congress.

He was elected to the assembly for the first time in 2003. He won three more elections in 2007, 2017 and now for the fourth term to be elevated straight to the top post.

He also remained Chief Whip of the Congress Legislature party from 2007 to 2012. He has reached the CM’s post by crossing practically every stage, step wise as he was first elected councillor of Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) twice from 1992-97 and again from 1997 to 2002 before being elected to the Vidhan Sabha.

He is man who has risen to the post of CM from a humble beginning with his father being in government service. Known to be a bête noire of Congress stalwart and six-time CM Virbhadra Singh, it is probably this which helped him carve a niche for himself as a plain speaking man who dared to even take on the might of a towering leader like Virbhadra.

It is for this man that Sukhu faced opposition from Pratibha Singh, State Congress President and wife of Virbhadra. What went in his favour the most was the support of majority MLAs among the 40 who won on the Congress ticket.

An out and out organizational man, he has served as state president of all the three wings of the Congress - the National Students Union of India (NSUI), Youth Congress and then Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC). A feta probably no other Congress leader can claim.

He was active in politics right from his college and university days when he did his MA LLB from Himachal Pradesh University. He remained state president of Youth Congress for 10 years and HPCC chief for six years.

On the personal front, his wife Kamlesh is a house maker, whose father is a retired army personnel. He has two daughters, who are studying in Delhi. Sukhu struggled in his students days as he even worked as a newspaper agent to supplement his income as a college student. 

Profile

Born: March 27, 1964

President NSUI: 1989-95

President Youth Congress: 1998-2008

General Secretary, State Youth Congress: 1998-2008

General Secretary, HPCC: 2008-12

State Congress President: January 2013 to January 2019

Shimla MC Councillor: 1992-97, 1997-2002

MLA: 2003, 2007, 2017 and 2022

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