Rahul Gandhi visits Shimla, pays tributes to Virbhadra Singh

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday visited Shimla to pay his respects to former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh who passed away on Thursday.

Gandhi also conveyed his condolences to family members of Virbhadra Singh.

The veteran Congress leader breathed his last in Shimla on Thursday.

Gandhi had on Thursday paid his tributes in a tweet and said he was "a stalwart in the true sense".

"His commitment to serving the people and to the Congress party remained exemplary till the very end. My condolences to his family and friends. We will miss him," Gandhi had said.

Virbhadra Singh passed away at Shimla's Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital. He had post-COVID issues like pneumonia and also had diabetes and other health issues, the hospital said.

Singh was a nine-time MLA, a five-time member of Parliament and served as Himachal Pradesh's Chief Minister for six terms. He was 87.

A staunch Congressman, Singh was also among the party's most experienced leaders who had worked with all Prime Ministers from the party beginning with Jawaharlal Nehru. He began his legislative innings when he was elected a member of Parliament in 1962.

( With inputs from ANI )