Jawali (Kangra): A late-night gathering at a government rest house in Jawali has spiraled into a political controversy, revealing signs of deepening rifts within the ruling Congress party in Himachal Pradesh. A video, now viral on social media, shows a room littered with alcohol bottles, snacks, and personal items, fueling a media frenzy over alleged misconduct.
However, beyond the visual shock value, the incident has taken a politically sensitive turn. What has raised eyebrows is the fact that public statements criticizing the gathering have come not from opposition quarters, but from within the ruling establishment itself.
Executive Engineer Ajay Sharma of the Jal Shakti Vibhag and a sitting Congress minister have both issued remarks condemning the event—unusual moves that suggest internal friction rather than mere concern for propriety. They have named Viku Bhardwaj, sitting district president of youth Congress.
Sharma, who has previously been the subject of complaints allegedly backed by some of the same Youth Congress leaders involved in the rest house gathering, is seen in a video alluding to these past tensions. His public statements have prompted questions over whether the viral footage is being used as a political weapon amid ongoing bureaucratic rivalries.
“This is not a standard disciplinary response,” said a senior political observer. “When an officer and a minister publicly denounce youth wing workers of their own party, it signals something more than concern for ethics—it points to factionalism.”
Sources close to the incident claim the gathering was in fact a birthday celebration for a Youth Congress leader, with no evidence of illegal activity or involvement of outsiders. Yet, the timing and nature of the video’s release have led to suspicions of an orchestrated campaign to discredit specific individuals within the party.
S Gopal Puri
