A large number of people attended Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s programme during his visit to Rohru. Rohru has traditionally been regarded as the former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh’s long-standing political base. During the visit, Sukhu stayed among the people until late at night, listened to their problems and interacted directly with local residents. Children, women and elderly people were also present at the programme.
A notable aspect of the visit was the absence of Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh and Congress state president Pratibha Singh from the programme. According to a Jagran report, Vikramaditya Singh is on a foreign visit. Despite his absence, a large number of local residents attended the Chief Minister’s programme. The turnout and Sukhu’s interaction with people have led to discussions in Himachal Pradesh’s political circles.
Rohru has an important political history. Former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh was elected MLA from the area five consecutive times. He won the Rohru seat in the 1990, 1993, 1998, 2003 and 2007 Assembly elections. Later, following delimitation, the seat became reserved and Virbhadra Singh contested from the Shimla Rural Assembly constituency.
Against this political background, Chief Minister Sukhu’s visit to the area also became a subject of discussion. During the programme, the Chief Minister did not limit himself to formal meetings and remained among the people for a considerable period. Residents presented their problems before him, and Sukhu listened to them. The interaction continued until late at night.
The programme also featured a glimpse of local culture. Sukhu participated in the Nati dance with people and sang the local song “Rohru Jana Meri Aamiyein.” According to the report, a video of the Chief Minister’s participation was also circulated on social media.
Rohru Congress MLA Mohan Lal Brakta was also present at the programme. He was appointed Chief Parliamentary Secretary in the Sukhu government. According to the Jagran report, Brakta has traditionally been regarded as close to former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. Against this background, the participation of local Congress leadership and residents in the Chief Minister’s programme in Rohru was also discussed.
This has been described as Chief Minister Sukhu’s second major visit to the Rohru Assembly constituency. Earlier, the Chief Minister had visited Dodra-Kwar under the Sarkar Gaon Ke Dwar programme. Sukhu’s arrival in the Rohru area for another major programme and his interaction with residents have brought the area into political discussion in the state once again.
Rohru has long been an important area in Congress politics. After Virbhadra Singh, Mohan Lal Brakta continued Congress’s political presence in the area. Brakta won the Rohru election in 2012 and again won the seat on a Congress ticket in 2022. Against this political background, the participation of local residents in Chief Minister Sukhu’s programme has led to different political discussions.
However, the turnout at a single programme cannot be considered a final measure of any leader’s popularity. The Chief Minister’s continued presence among the people until late at night, listening to their problems and participating in local cultural activities remained key aspects of the visit. The Jagran report also highlighted that the turnout and public participation at the programme have intensified discussion about Sukhu’s local acceptability.
Sukhu’s visit took place in an area associated with Virbhadra Singh’s political influence at a time when organisational and leadership-related issues have also remained subjects of discussion in Himachal Congress politics. However, at the Rohru programme, the Chief Minister focused on direct interaction with people and listening to their problems rather than political statements.
Local residents raised issues related to the area during their interaction with the Chief Minister. People presented their respective needs and difficulties before Sukhu. The Chief Minister listened to them and said that he would direct officials to take necessary action on the concerned matters.
Women, elderly people and children were also present at the programme. The Chief Minister spent considerable time among the people. While large political programmes generally conclude after their scheduled time, Sukhu continued meeting residents in Rohru until late at night. As a result, people who had attended the programme continued waiting for their turn to present their concerns to the Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister’s visit to Rohru remained a subject of discussion from both administrative and political perspectives. On one hand, Sukhu listened to the problems of local residents, while on the other, he participated in Nati and engaged with local culture. The large presence of people at the programme and the Chief Minister’s extended stay among them remained key features of the visit.
