Former Himachal Pradesh CM Virbhadra Singh passes away

Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister and senior Congress leader Virbhadra Singh died in Shimla in the early hours of Thursday after a prolonged illness. He was 87.

The veteran leader breathed his last at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) here at 3.40 am, senior medical superintendent Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) Dr. Janak Raj said.

Virbhadra had tested positive for COVID-19 on June 11 for the second time in two months.

The nine-time MLA and five-time MP, Singh served as Himachal Pradesh’s chief minister for six times. Singh previously served as CM from 1983 to 1990, from 1993 to 1998, from 2003 to 2007 and from 2012 to 2017. Singh also remained the leader of Opposition from March 1998 to March 2003.

The veteran leader entered the Lok Sabha in 1962 and repeated that success in the 1967 and 1971 elections. Singh also served as union deputy minister, Tourism and Civil Aviation, minister of state for industries, union minister of steel and Union Minister of micro, small & medium enterprises (MSME).

Singh also served as Himachal Pradesh Congress president in 1977, 1979, 1980 and from 26th August, 2012 to December 2012.

Singh, who belonged to the royal family of Bushahr in Shimla district, is survived by wife Pratibha Singh, son Vikramaditya Singh and four daughters.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Kashmir Monitor staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)