S Gopal Puri
Dharamshala: – In the high-altitude politics of Himachal Pradesh, a single social media post has triggered a political avalanche. What was meant to be a routine display of protocol during the high-profile visit of Vice President of India, C.P. Radhakrishnan, has instead reignited a long-simmering rivalry between two of the BJP’s heavyweight MLAs: Pawan Kajal (Kangra) and Sudhir Sharma (Dharamshala).
The controversy erupted late Saturday after Vice President Radhakrishnan arrived in the hill town to attend the 9th Convocation of the Central University of Himachal Pradesh and pay respects at the War Memorial. Both Kajal and Sharma, prominent faces of the BJP in the district, were present at the airport to welcome the dignitary.
The ‘Invisible’ Colleague
The spark for the “town talk” came from the digital galleries of the two leaders.
While both shared photographs of the welcoming ceremony, eagle-eyed netizens and political observers noticed a glaring discrepancy. In the images posted by Pawan Kajal, former minister Sudhir Sharma was noticeably absent—or more accurately, appeared to have been deliberately cropped out of the frame.
In contrast, Sharma’s own posts featured the full landscape of the reception, including Kajal.
The “cropping incident” has quickly gone viral across local WhatsApp groups and social media platforms, with supporters and critics alike debating whether the edit was a technical oversight or a calculated political snub.
Echoes of 2019: A History of Friction
For seasoned political analysts in Kangra, this is more than just a social media “glitch.” The incident has dragged a seven-year-old grievance back into the spotlight.
In 2019, when both leaders were still stalwarts of the Indian National Congress, a major rift formed during the Lok Sabha elections. At the time, Sudhir Sharma—then a powerful former minister—had reportedly declined to contest the Kangra parliamentary seat.
Consequently, the party fielded Pawan Kajal against the BJP’s Kishan Kapoor.
Kajal suffered a crushing defeat, losing by a record margin of over 4.77 lakh votes.
The local narrative at the time, which still persists today, was that Kajal felt he had been made a “scapegoat.” Rumors suggested that Sharma’s refusal to contest and his perceived “lukewarm” support during the campaign directly contributed to Kajal’s massive loss.
United by Party, Divided by Past?
Fast forward to today, and the political landscape has shifted dramatically. Both leaders have since crossed over to the BJP—Kajal in 2022 and Sharma more recently in 2024 following the high-drama Rajya Sabha cross-voting episode.
However, the “photo-cropping” saga suggests that while they now wear the same saffron scarf, the ghosts of their Congress past continue to haunt their relationship.
“In politics, what is left out of the frame is often more important than what is in it,” said a local political commentator. “By removing Sudhir from the photo, Kajal has signaled that the 2019 wounds haven’t fully healed.”
While neither leader has made an official statement regarding the social media post, the silence has only fueled further speculation.
Within the BJP, this public display of internal friction is a cause for concern, especially as the party seeks to maintain a unified front in the politically crucial Kangra belt.
As the Vice President concludes his visit, the residents of Dharamshala are left discussing not the convocation speeches, but the curious case of the disappearing MLA.
