Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], November 30 : Ending more than a year of organisational vacuum in the Himachal Pradesh Congress, senior leader and three-time MLA Vinay Kumar on Sunday formally assumed office as the President of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) at the party headquarters in Shimla.
Kumar said he will focus on strengthening the party and uniting workers to ensure a Congress win in 2027.
His appointment comes after the state Congress committee was dissolved on November 6, 2024. Since then, only Pratibha Singh has been officiating as state president, with no organisational structure in place.
The ceremony witnessed the presence of AICC in-charge Rajani Patil, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, outgoing president and Mandi MP Pratibha Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, cabinet ministers and senior party leaders, who collectively displayed a rare show of unity.
Party workers gave Vinay Kumar an enthusiastic welcome.'
Speaking to reporters after taking charge, Vinay Kumar said strengthening the organisation and uniting workers would be his primary responsibilities.
"My next goal is to ensure that the Congress government returns to power in 2027. I will meet every worker, travel across the state and strengthen the organisation. Himachal Pradesh has been without a full organisational structure for a year. I have to reconstitute the entire body from mandal to booth level. I will act as a link between the government and the organisation and ensure complete coordination," he said.
Kumar added, "Will work to repeat Congress government in 2027."
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the new chief will strengthen the party and work towards repeating the government in 2027.
"Vinay Kumar is a three-time MLA and deeply connected with Congress ideology. After detailed discussions with Rajani Patil ji, former HPCC chiefs and senior leaders, a consensus was reached on his name. As he belongs to the SC community, his appointment also strengthens representation. We will all work together to repeat the Congress government in 2027. District president appointments have already begun, and observers from the Centre are collecting field reports," said CM Sukhu.
The Deputy CM, Mukesh Agnihotri, said, "A new era is beginning in Himachal Congress." Agnihotri lauded the leadership change and gave it to a young leader.
"Kumar is taking charge as the HPCC president, and we welcome him. A new era is beginning in the party. The media always asked when the president would be appointed. Now that the president is here, the committee will be formed as well. He represents the constituency once represented by YS Parmar, the first Chief Minister of Himachal. This is a moment of pride for Sirmaur district and the entire state. He is a three-time MLA and former Deputy Speaker. After much deliberation, the Congress has chosen him, and the party will move forward together," said Agnihotri.
Outgoing HPCC president Pratibha Singh welcomed the appointment and pressed for quick organisational restructuring. She expressed hope by saying, "He must strengthen the organisation for 2027."
"I congratulate him. He is taking charge of a very important post. We want him to work day and night to strengthen the organisation so that we can succeed again in the upcoming elections. The delay in forming the committee was not our fault. We will ask the high command to expedite the formation of the new committee and include all active workers. Women must be given importance at the district and state levels. Vinay Kumar knows how to work, and we expect strong coordination between the government and the organisation," she said.
PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh, son of former CM Virbhadra Singh, said the party would fully support Vinay Kumar.
"I am confident he will strengthen the party and act as a bridge between the government, the organisation and the people. He is a young leader and a labour leader, and we will extend full cooperation. Observers from Delhi have already laid down guidelines no district Congress president will be above 60 years of age. Young faces will be brought forward, and new thinking will take the organisation ahead. We will support what is right and oppose what is wrong, keeping Himachal's interests paramount," Singh asserted.
AICC in-charge for Himachal, Rajani Patil, said the high command had approved the appointment after detailed discussions, adding that the "organisation creation process" is now underway.
"We discussed the matter with everyone, and the Centre has approved his appointment. Our organisational creation campaign has already begun. The Centre's observers are visiting districts and gathering feedback from workers. The new committee will ensure participation of women, youth and every section of society," said Patil.
The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee was dissolved on November 6, 2024, leaving the party without a structured organisational setup for over a year. The new president has now been tasked with building the entire structure afresh -- from state to district to block and booth levels.
With the ceremonial transition now complete, the Congress leadership signalled that unity and organisational rebuilding would remain the focus ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.