Veteran politician and former Himachal Pradesh cabinet minister Major Vijai Singh Mankotia died of a heart attack at his ancestral home in Tiara, Kangra, on Tuesday morning. He was 87.
A five-time MLA from Shahpur, Mankotia was among the prominent political figures of Kangra who remained active in public life for several decades.
An alumnus of the Indian Army, Mankotia entered politics after retiring from military service and held important positions in the state government. He served as a cabinet minister in two Virbhadra Singh-led Congress governments and also headed the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation as its vice-chairman.
A firebrand Rajput leader from politically significant Kangra, his electoral journey began in 1982, when he won the Shahpur seat as an Independent. He subsequently won in 1985 on a Congress ticket
He left the Indian National Congress around 1989–1990, joined the Janata Dal, and was re-elected from the Shahpur constituency. He again won assembly elections in 1993 and 2003 as a Congress candidate. After four successive victories, Mankotia lost the 1998 election. He, however, was re-elected in 2003.
He quit the Congress in 2006 and contested the 2007 election on a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket from Dharamsala but lost. He unsuccessfully contested the 2012 election from Shahpur as a Congress candidate. He contested the 2017 election as an independent candidate but lost.
Known for his forthright political style and strong views, Mankotia joined the BJP before the 2022 assembly election but did not contest.
Mankotia’s long political career spanned more than four decades and included periods of association with different political formations, reflecting his enduring presence in Himachal’s public life.
