SHIMLA: People across Himachal Pradesh joined Congress leaders and karyakartas in paying tributes to late Raja Virbhadra Singh, "Vikas Purush of modern Himachal" on his 89th Jayanti on June 23 across the state, which was celebrated as Vikash Diwas.
State Congress President and Mandi Lok Sabha MP Pratibha Singh, who is wife of Virbhadra Singh and leader of opposition Mukesh Agnihotri, working president Harsh Mahajan, Shimla Rural Congress MLA and Vikramaditya Singh and others led the Congress karyakarta paying tributes to Virbhadra Singh at a Shradha Sabha held at Rajiv Bhawan here today.
They remembered contribution and vision of Late Virbhadra Singh in shaping up developmental map of Himachal Pradesh, who has always believed in “Sarvatra Vikas of Sarvatra Himachal, which has no place for regionalism and casteism”.
Virbhadra Singh dominated the political space of Himachal Pradesh for over five decades and served six- times as Chief Minister of Himachal for a record 22 years.
His mass appeal and his concern for the poor, education of children was legendary. Virbhadra Singh dwarfed his rivals and opposition leaders by dint of his Kootniti, a mix of “wit and wisdom, humour and satire, tact and politeness”, said his fans.
Accompanied by Congress leaders and workers Pratibha Singh distributed fruits to the expected mothers at Kamala Nehru Hospital. 
She also teamed up with Sarabjeet Singh, a Shimla’s famed philanthropist, and organised and served Langar for the patients at the Cancer Hospital in the premises of Indira Gandhi Medical College and hospital.
Congress also organised the blood donation camps at many places in Shimla and Rohru and donated blood to pay their tributes to their beloved leader Virbhadra Singh.
Vice President, Congress Harish Janartha said they organized the blood donation camp at Bharari in honour late Virbhadra Singh. Virbhadra Singh was a Yug Purush and messiah of development in Himachal Pradesh, he added.
State head of Himachal Pradesh Congress intellectual Cell Vijaypal Singh said Virbhadra Singh was a maker of Modern Himachal and Vikas Purush and whole state paid tributes to late Virbhadra Singh on his Jayanti.
Congress Karyalartas also organised functions in Mandi, Kangra, Una, Kullu, Bilaspur, and other districts in hnour of Virbhadra Singh in the state.
Congress supporters and karyakarta organised blood donation camp in Rohru, said Rajwant Machhan, vice-Pradhan gram panchayat Kutara, Spail valley with the help of the doctors of the civil hospital Rohru.
