Himachal: JP Nadda pays tribute to Virbhadra Singh, terms his demise as 'personal loss'

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 9 (ANI): BJP chief Jagat Prakash Nadda on Friday paid tribute to former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Congress leader Virbhadra Singh, who passed away earlier yesterday at Shimla's Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital.
Speaking to reporters in Shimla, Nadda said: "I came here to pay tribute to Virbhadra Singh ji. I met him in a hospital a few days back. He is not with us today. It is a sad moment. Our political views were different but I respected him a lot and have learnt a lot from him. I can say we agreed to disagree. But we respected each other's feelings and sentiments. It is a personal loss. One of the tallest leaders of the country is not with us today."
"He was my guide also and we had mutual respect for each other," he added.
Meanwhile, hundreds of locals gathered on the streets in Shimla to pay their last respect to Singh.

All security arrangements have been made for Singh's last rite.
Speaking to ANI, Director General of Police (DGP) Sanjay Kundu said: "His (Virbhadra Singh) body will be taken to the party office and then will be kept in Rampur overnight, followed by last rites which will be performed with State honours."
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rajeev Shukla said that Rahul Gandhi will visit Congress Himachal Pradesh unit office--Rajiv Bhawan at 12:30 pm today.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is also scheduled to reach Shimla today.
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. (ANI)