Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

Some Lesser Known Facts About Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

• Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is an Indian lawyer and politician who was elected as the 15th Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh in 2022.

• Before joining politics, he used to run a milk counter in Chhota Shimla.

• He started his career through college politics. When he was in college, he joined the Congress’ student wing National Students’ Union of India and was also an activist at the Himachal Pradesh University.

• In an interview, his mother revealed that he had focused on his studies even after working at different places to earn for his family.

• In 2017, Amit Shah talked about Sukhu during the election campaigns and said that the Congress party was a party of ‘rajas and ranis’ and no one else except already existing candidates would get a chance to come forward.

• In an interview, he said that it was difficult for him to enter politics as he came from a non-political background. In the interview, he further added,
  

  Yes, I had to struggle at every step for survival in politics. The elites and those with political backing find their way easily, even in electoral politics. But the hard work and loyalty to organisation paid me off. Congress president, Rahul Gandhi wants to bring the ordinary workers to the fore and that’s why he picked me up for the top job. I was elevated as state Congress president in 2013 even after I lost the Assembly poll. The fact that I rose from struggle, not ‘power driven politics’, is my strength.”

• His and Virbharda’s conflicts gained a lot of limelight. Virbhadhra Singh was the chief minister of Congress, but Congress did not come to power. In the interview, he talked about this and said,
  

  Yes. But the Congress was not able to win successive elections earlier even when Virbhadraji was there. Yet, with the BJP in the saddle and in his absence, we won the recent byelections, one to the Lok Sabha [Mandi] and three Assembly segments. He [Virbhadra Singh] was undoubtedly a tall leader and has left his legacy. But our organisational strength and presence are good, have been good. That is one reason why the AAP has not been able to make a dent. People in the State are inclined towards the Congress for more than one reason.”

• In 2022, before the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, in one of the press conferences, he said that Congress would win in the Hindu majority state. In the conference, he talked about this and said,
  

  Congress party is going to form government in a place which is a Hindu majority state, people have rejected BJP’s ideology. Due to the special strategy of Priyanka Gandhi, the BJP lost the election, the Gandhi family does not have a house anywhere in the country, but there is only one place i.e Himachal Pradesh, where Priyanka Gandhi owns a house.”

• On 8 December 2022, when the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly election results were announced, Congress won 40 out of 68 seats. On 11 December 2022, he was sworn in as the CM of the state. After taking the oath, he ensured that he would bring back the Old Pension System in the state.

  

• He owns a Maruti Suzuki Alto city car that he often drove for years before reaching the top post and was fondly known as the “Alto man” in public and political circles in Shimla. He arrived at the Himachal Pradesh State Assembly in his Maruti Suzuki Alto city car to attend the Budget session, which commenced on 14 March 2023. ^[5]The Hindu

  

• On 15 September 2023, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu made a contribution to support the recovery and assistance efforts for those affected by the 2023 North India floods; he donated his lifetime savings of Rs. 51 lacs to the Aapda Rahat Kosh (Disaster Relief Fund). While talking about this, in an interview, he revealed that he had contributed the amount from his three savings accounts.

• In November 2024, during an inauguration ceremony at the CID Department of the Himachal Pradesh Police, a show-cause notice was issued to five policemen who allegedly failed to serve Sukhu samosas brought from the Radisson Hotel. However, it was later revealed that the Chief Minister was unaware of the notice being issued.