Storm within HPCC over appointments of new DCCs refuse to calm down, Grand old party deploy AICC incharge
Shimla, Jul 7
The simmering power struggle within the Himachal Pradesh Congress has burst into the open with the controversy over the appointment of a new Kinnaur District Congress Committee president, exposing fault lines within the ruling party despite repeated attempts by the leadership to project unity.
The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has deputed Himachal Pradesh affairs in-charge to defuse the crisis. While affirming that the appointment of Nigam Bhandari as Kinnaur DCC president is final, party incharge Rajni Patil has said she would hold discussions with both Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi and the newly appointed district chief to resolve the differences through dialogue.
The episode has acquired significance because Jagat Singh Negi is widely regarded as one of the Congress’s most outspoken and politically influential leaders in Himachal Pradesh.
A veteran tribal leader and a prominent face of the Sukhu government, Negi has consistently taken on the BJP, the RSS and the central leadership, making him one of the party’s most vocal ministers in the state. His public opposition to the organisational appointment has therefore been viewed as more than a district-level disagreement.
The controversy intensified further after a recent incident in which a journalist was allegedly roughed up while attempting to question Negi on the issue.
Eyewitness accounts suggest that the situation escalated when the journalist sought clarification on the ongoing dispute, leading to a confrontation that has since drawn criticism from media bodies and opposition leaders.
The incident has added a new dimension to the controversy, raising concerns about press freedom and the handling of dissent within political circles.
Political observers see the development as signalling a shift in the internal power equations of the state Congress. Although the appointment is an organisational decision of the AICC, many within the party believe it could not have materialised without the concurrence of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
If that assessment is correct, it suggests that the state leadership may be Chief minister himself are allowing an alternative leadership to emerge in Kinnaur rather than relying solely on Negi’s political influence.
The present organisational reshuffle has led to speculation in political circles that the ruling party is encouraging a broader second line of leadership, even in districts represented by strong leaders like Negi who have long been considered strong leaders in the ruling political camp are being sideline.
The controversy began after Negi reportedly questioned the appointment of Nigam Bhandari and referred to Jagat Singh as being aligned with what he described as a “B team” of the BJP, sparking confusion and political backlash.
Rejecting the allegations, Bhandari challenged the minister to place any evidence before the party high command instead of making public accusations. He said he was not afraid of any inquiry and would accept whatever decision the party leadership takes with complete loyalty.
Bhandari said he has spent his political career strengthening the Congress through the NSUI, Youth Congress and other organisational wings. Thanking the party high command for entrusting him with the responsibility, he said his priority would be to strengthen the organisation at the booth level, activate party workers and improve coordination across Kinnaur.
Even as the Congress leadership insists that the dispute would be resolved through dialogue, the public disagreement and the recent incident involving the journalist have exposed the growing challenge of balancing government authority with organisational politics in Himachal Pradesh.
Whether the episode remains confined to Kinnaur or reflects a wider realignment within the state Congress would become clearer in the coming weeks.
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