Shimla, Oct 13 (NationPress) On Monday, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi unveiled a statue dedicated to the esteemed political figure Virbhadra Singh, who served as the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh an impressive six times. The statue is located at Daulat Singh Park on the historic Ridge, positioned adjacent to the statue of Dr Y.S. Parmar, the inaugural chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, alongside other prominent personalities including Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

In attendance at the ceremony were Congress MPs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Deepender Hooda, and Rajeev Shukla, AICC in-charge Rajni Patil, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu, and other members of the state Cabinet.

The unveiling was initially scheduled for June 23, on Virbhadra Singh’s birthday, but was delayed due to the party leadership's commitments. The invitation was extended by Vikramaditya Singh, the late leader's son and Chairman of the Raja Virbhadra Singh Foundation.

Thousands of supporters, including elected representatives, former MLAs, and politicians from neighboring regions, gathered for the event, celebrating with traditional Himachali music and dance.

Virbhadra Singh, affectionately referred to as 'Raja Saab', dedicated over 50 years to public service, despite his royal lineage. He passed away on July 8, 2021, at the age of 87, leaving behind a significant political legacy.

A charismatic leader, Singh was known to engage directly with the electorate, emphasizing that he was a grassroots worker. He famously remarked: “I am a grassroots worker. I have risen from the ground, and my roots are still firmly stuck here (in Himachal Pradesh).”

His sharp intellect was evident as he often corrected bureaucratic documents on his typewriter. He was amongst the most influential leaders in the state, successfully navigating numerous political challenges even into his later years.

Singh's political career spanned interactions with four Congress Prime Ministers: Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Narasimha Rao, and Manmohan Singh. Despite accusations of monopolizing the Congress leadership space in Himachal, he defended his legacy by questioning the absence of critics during his hiatus from state politics.

In June 2012, Singh resigned from his role as Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises following a court ruling in a 23-year-old corruption case. However, he received a major legal reprieve just before his sixth swearing-in as Chief Minister on December 25, 2012.

During the 2017 Assembly elections, he emerged as a formidable candidate, vigorously campaigning and securing a seat from Arki, a BJP stronghold. His son, Vikramaditya Singh, also made his inaugural Assembly win from Shimla (Rural), a seat previously held by his father, and retained it in the December 2022 elections.