Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh Congress has appointed Nigam Bhandari as the party’s District President for Kinnaur, ending nearly six months of suspense over the post. The appointment, however, has sparked a fresh controversy within the party, with Revenue Minister and Kinnaur MLA Jagat Singh Negi openly questioning the decision.
Nigam Bhandari has been associated with the Congress since his student politics days. He rose through the ranks of the party’s youth wing and served as State Youth Congress President before being appointed General Secretary of the Indian Youth Congress. Party leaders view his appointment as an effort to strengthen the organisation in the tribal district.
Soon after the announcement, Jagat Singh Negi expressed dissatisfaction with the decision and raised concerns over the manner in which the appointment was made. He said he had been voicing his reservations on the issue for a long time. He questioned why he was not consulted, despite being the elected representative from the district and a senior party leader.
Negi said he had worked for the Congress during a period when the party’s position in Kinnaur was weak and maintained that leadership roles should be entrusted to those who strengthen the party’s ideology and organisational base.
In a strong statement, the minister also alleged that “sleeper cells” are active within the Congress and warned that such elements could harm the party. He claimed that some individuals within the organisation were functioning like the BJP’s “B-team” and said statements made by BJP leaders were lending support to his concerns.
The development has once again brought internal differences within the Himachal Pradesh Congress into the spotlight. While the party leadership has ended months of uncertainty by naming a district president for Kinnaur, Negi’s public criticism has highlighted growing concerns over consultation and coordination within the organisation.
Political observers believe the episode could pose a challenge for the Congress leadership as it seeks to strengthen the party structure and maintain unity ahead of future political battles in the state.
