A heritage dispute in the hills of Shimla just turned sharply political. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday, November 12, 2026 flatly denied that Peterhoff — the storied state guest house that anchors Shimla's colonial-era skyline — is being sold, and announced plans to replace the deteriorating structure with a larger, purpose-built complex of at least 100 rooms.

What Sukhu actually said about Peterhoff's condition

Speaking in Hindi, the Chief Minister was unambiguous: 'पीटरहॉफ को न तो बेचा जा रहा है और न ही सरकार का किसी भी सरकारी संपत्ति को बेचने का कोई इरादा है' — 'Peterhoff is neither being sold nor does the government have any intention of selling any public asset.' He attributed the confusion to the building's visible decline: Peterhoff currently suffers from severe leakage and structural decay, he said, making a fresh construction unavoidable rather than optional.

The history of the site adds weight to that argument. The original Peterhoff was gutted by fire in 1981 and subsequently rebuilt — meaning this would be at least the third structural chapter for one of Shimla's most prominent addresses. The new complex, Sukhu said, will be significantly bigger, anchoring the state's capacity for official hospitality for decades.

Sukhu's counter-attack on Jairam Thakur over the 5,000-bigha lease

The denial quickly pivoted into a broadside against Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur, the BJP leader who served as Chief Minister from 2017 to 2022. Sukhu accused Thakur of issuing statements without factual basis — 'उनकी याददाश्त कमजोर है', 'his memory is weak' — and turned the privatisation charge on its head.

According to Sukhu, it was the Thakur government that leased out 5,000 bigha of state land at a price of just ₹1 crore for a 99-year term under the label of a 'customised package' — and did so without formal registration. The Chief Minister framed this as the real looting of Himachal's public estate, contrasting it with what he described as his government's protective stance on state property. The specific details of that land deal are part of the contested political record and remain to be verified through official documents.

A pattern of property politics in Himachal Pradesh

The exchange is not an isolated flare-up. Since the Congress government took office in 2022, both parties have traded accusations over public-asset management — leases, maintenance lapses, and alleged sweetheart deals have all featured in this running argument. Peterhoff, given its heritage status and high visibility in the state capital, makes a potent symbol for whichever side wants to press the privatisation narrative.

What is new here is the government putting a concrete number on the redevelopment ambition: at least 100 rooms. That figure, once tenders and timelines follow, will be the real test of whether this week's announcement outlasts the political news cycle.