Nigam Bhandari’s appointment as Kinnaur chief exposes fault lines in Himachal Congress

5 min readShimlaJun 27, 2026 07:31 PM IST

Bhandari was on the Delhi Police's radar in connection with the Youth Congress's protest during the AI Summit in New Delhi earlier this year. (Credits: Facebook/ Nigam Bhandari)

The appointment of 40-year-old Youth Congress leader Nigam Bhandari as the Kinnaur District Congress Committee president has exposed factional fault lines in the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee.

“How can a person not even on talking terms with me be appointed the Kinnaur district unit president?” Congress’s five-time MLA from Kinnaur and Revenue and Tribal Development Minister Jagat Singh Negi wondered a day after the All India Congress Committee (AICC) made the appointment under its Sangathan Srijan Abbhiyan on June 24.

“Had I been consulted, it could not have happened,” Negi rued, terming Bhandari the “B-team of the BJP”.

The minister’s reaction came shortly after his political rival and BJP leader Surat Singh Negi, who lost the 2022 Assembly election from Kinnaur to Jagat Singh Negi by around 7,000 votes, shared a post, reminding the minister that a leader he used to describe as the “B-team of the BJP” was appointed the Congress chief of his home district.

Bhandari is the general secretary of the Indian Youth Congress and in-charge of the Karnataka Youth Congress, and is considered close to Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. His appointment is being viewed as his transition from the Youth Congress politics to a key organisational role.

Bhandari was on the Delhi Police’s radar in connection with the Youth Congress’s protest during the AI Summit in New Delhi earlier this year. A Delhi court later granted him interim bail in the case. Following the protest, Rahul Gandhi described the protesting Youth Congress workers as “Babbar Sher”.

Despite Negi’s public criticism of Bhandari, Congress insiders describe him as a committed grassroots worker who rose through the ranks of the organisation on the strength of his organisational abilities and political perseverance. “I have never seen him standing with the Congress in Kinnaur. He is not on good terms with people in his own area,” the minister decried Bhandari’s appointment.

Story continues below this ad

A senior Congress leader claimed that Bhandari was among the strongest contenders for the Congress ticket from Kinnaur in 2022. “It was the reason why the ticket to then MLA Jagat Singh Negi was declared with a delay.”

The leader also claimed that the lack of a consensus over Bhandari’s appointment delayed the announcement of Kinnaur district president for nearly six months.

Born in Kinnaur, Bhandari began his political journey with the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI). He was elected NSUI president at Government College, Mandi, in 2005. After joining the Department of Laws at Himachal Pradesh University in 2007, he was elected NSUI campus president in 2008. He served as the state general secretary of NSUI between 2010 and 2012 before becoming an all-India secretary and later an all-India general secretary of the organisation.

In 2020, he was elected president of the Himachal Pradesh Youth Congress and subsequently elevated as the all-India general secretary of the Indian Youth Congress. He is also in-charge of the Karnataka Youth Congress.

Story continues below this ad

Congress leaders recalled that when Bhandari became the Himachal Pradesh Youth Congress president, Sukhu, then a senior Congress leader, allowed him to use his Innova given to him by the party high command for his official tours.

Responding to the minister’s remarks, Bhandari told The Indian Express, “Negi is a very senior and respected Congress leader. There might be some misunderstandings. I am in Kinnaur and will meet him after returning to Shimla. I am confident that all misunderstandings will be resolved.”

Negi, however, believes that Bhandari’s appointment will definitely hit the Congress’s performance in the 2027 Assembly elections, at least in Kinnaur district. “It doesn’t mean that a Congress worker, who is actively participating in national-level politics, is also doing the same job on the local level. I never found Nigam Bhandari canvassing for the Congress in Kinnaur in my favour. Moreover, during the recently concluded Gram Panchayats elections, many Youth Congress workers reportedly close to Bhandari were found canvassing for the candidates supported by the BJP in Kinnaur. I’m sure that this appointment will affect the performance of Congress in the 2027 assembly elections.” Negi told The Indian Express.

Party insiders claim that one of the factors leading to Bhandari’s appointment was the Congress’s poor performance in the recent Panchayati Raj Institution elections in Kinnaur, where Congress-backed candidates lost nine of the ten Zila Parishad seats to BJP-backed candidates. The organisational reshuffle, they say, is aimed at revitalising the party in the strategically important tribal district ahead of future electoral challenges.

© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd

Saurabh Parashar is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, primarily responsible for the publication’s coverage of Himachal Pradesh. He is a seasoned journalist with over 17 years of experience in print media, specializing in crime, legal affairs, and investigative reporting.

Professional Background

Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology (Hisar) and a Law degree from Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla. This legal background significantly informs his reporting on complex judicial and administrative matters.

Career Path: Before joining The Indian Express in 2017, he spent 12 years with The Times of India.

Core Beats: His primary focus is the socio-political landscape of the hill state, with a specific emphasis on the environment, forest conservation, drug menace (specifically "Chitta"), affairs related to tribal and archaeology and the unique challenges of governance in high-altitude regions.

Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)

His recent reporting highlights the critical intersection of policy, law, and social safety in Himachal Pradesh:

1. "Himachal’s battle against Chitta: Why the border areas are most vulnerable" (Late 2025): An investigative look at the transit routes from Punjab and the impact on local youth.

2. "Shimla ropeway clears key hurdle as 820 trees face the axe :According to the Forest Survey of India’s 2021 assessment, 47.21 percent of Shimla’s 5,131 sq km geographical area is under forest cover (Nov 17, 2025).

3. "Himachal to handover 2.7427 ha of non-forest land for Shimla Ropeway: Given the land’s non-forest nature, RTDC and the state will not require permission from MoEFCC" (Nov 18, 2025)

4. "How the centuries-old Jodidara tradition is fading in Himachal’s Trans-Giri region: Jodidara: a form of fraternal polyandry—has long been part of Hatti tribal culture in the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Uttarakhand. It is believed to have evolved to prevent division of ancestral land and maintain unity among brothers in the harsh, mountainous terrain" (Aug 18, 2025)

Legal & Agricultural Affairs

"Kisan Sabha hails SC’s setting aside Himachal HC order to remove orchards from forest land" (Dec 18, 2025): Covering a major Supreme Court victory for farmers, where a High Court order to remove fruit-bearing apple orchards was overturned.

"Himachal Cabinet nod to new tourism policy; focus on home-stays in tribal areas" (Dec 11, 2025): Detailing the legislative push to decentralize tourism and bring economic benefits to Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur.

3. Governance & Environment

"Forest rights and development: Why Himachal is seeking more leeway from Centre" (Dec 19, 2025): Reporting on the legal hurdles faced by the state in infrastructure projects due to the Forest Conservation Act.

"Cloudbursts and resilience: How Himachal’s remote villages are building back better" (Nov 2025): Following up on the long-term rehabilitation efforts after monsoon-related disasters.

Crime especially cyber crimes, crypto currency etc:

crypto currency: "Agents in uniform, motivational speeches, lavish parties: How a Himachal crypto con went unnoticed:A serial conman, a ‘Nelson Mandela Nobel Peace Award winner', and retired policemen got together to pull off a Rs 1,740-crore fraud" (Nov 10, 2023)

Signature Beats

Saurabh is recognized for his tenacious reporting on the state's drug epidemic. His deep familiarity with the topography and tribal culture of Himachal allows him to report from remote locations like Spiti, Pangi, Shillai, which are often overlooked by national media. His legal expertise makes him a primary choice for covering the Himachal Pradesh High Court on issues ranging from local body elections to environmental PILs.

X (Twitter): @saurabh_prashar

. ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Tags:

Himachal Congress