In a fresh twist to the ongoing discord within the Himachal Pradesh Congress, former MLA Neeraj Bharti's Facebook account has reportedly been blocked, a day after he resigned as Vice-President of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC).
The development comes amid Bharti's escalating criticism of both the state government and the party leadership. Over the past few weeks, he has been posting a series of comments on social media targeting the Congress organisation and raising questions over the functioning of the government.
Resignation Accepted
The HPCC on Friday accepted Bharti's resignation from the post of state vice-president. Bharti, a former MLA from Jawali and son of Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar, had stepped down citing dissatisfaction with the working style of the Congress government led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
In his resignation letter addressed to state Congress chief Vinay Kumar and district party leaders, Bharti said he was unhappy with the administrative functioning of the government under the current leadership. The two-page letter was also shared on his Facebook account before it became inaccessible.
Disciplinary Action Preceded Resignation
The resignation followed disciplinary action initiated by the party against him. Congress leaders had earlier removed Bharti from key organisational responsibilities over his repeated controversial statements and social media posts, which the party viewed as damaging to its image and internal discipline.
The blocking of Bharti's Facebook account has sparked political speculation, particularly as it coincides with his public criticism of the Sukhu government and the state Congress leadership. However, the exact reason behind the account's suspension remains unclear. There has been no official confirmation on whether the action was taken by the platform due to complaints, policy violations or any technical issue.
Show-Cause Notice Issued
A day earlier, Kangra District Congress Committee president Anurag Sharma had issued a show-cause notice to Bharti, accusing him of indiscipline and seeking an explanation for his public remarks against the party and the government. He was asked to submit his reply within 10 days, failing which disciplinary proceedings could be initiated.
Further details regarding the Facebook account blockage are awaited. The incident has added another layer to the internal strife within the Himachal Pradesh Congress, with Bharti's actions seen as a direct challenge to the party leadership. Political observers are closely watching how the party handles this situation, especially given Bharti's family connections as the son of a senior minister. The blocking of his social media account has also raised questions about freedom of expression within the party ranks.
