Dharamshala: In a surprising turn in the BJP’s offensive against the Congress government over the *death of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited Chief Engineer Vimal Negi, two of the most prominent leaders in the case — Sudhir Sharma and Bikram Singh Thakur — were notably absent from a high-profile press conference led by BJP State president Dr Rajeev Bindal in Dharamshala.
This conference took place on Monday (May 26).
Sudhir Sharma, a former minister and senior BJP leader, was the first to allege that a pen drive was found on the body of Vimal Negi, which later mysteriously went missing. His revelation triggered political shockwaves and brought new urgency to calls for a high-level investigation.
In the days that followed, Sharma came under direct attack from the Shimla SP, leading to a legal standoff between the two. Given his central role in bringing the issue to light and being at the heart of a legal battle, Sharma’s absence from the press conference has left many puzzled.
Bikram Singh Thakur, another former minister, had been a vocal critic of the HPPCL’s functioning and repeatedly raised alarms over alleged irregularities in the Rs 250-crore Pekhubela solar power project. His consistent questioning of the state energy department’s transparency had positioned him as a key figure in the BJP’s campaign for accountability. Yet, he too remained missing from the stage during the party’s latest show of strength.
The press conference, held at the government-run Dhauladhar Hotel in Dharamshala, saw Dr Rajeev Bindal demanding the Sukhu government’s accountability in the suspicious death of Vimal Negi and alleged corruption in Himachal’s power sector.
While the BJP has intensified its attacks on the Congress government, the absence of Sudhir and Bikram — both pivotal voices — has shifted part of the focus onto BJP’s internal strategies and cohesion.
“Are these absences part of a broader political strategy or signs of emerging cracks within the party’s leadership? As the state reels from controversies involving high-ranking officials and government functioning, these optics cannot be ignored,” said a political analyst.
In Himachal’s evolving political theatre, where perceptions play a crucial role, the silence — or sidelining — of two major BJP figures is bound to raise eyebrows, both among the public and within the party ranks, the analyst added
S Gopal Puri
