Congress Slams BJP MLA for Social Media Post Targeting Chief Minister Sukhu

The Himachal Pradesh Congress has strongly criticized BJP MLA Sudhir Sharma for a social media post mocking Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

On Thursday, Sharma shared a photo of the Chief Minister holding a sketch of himself with a caption that read: “For the first time in the state’s history — a cartoon sketch.”

Reacting to the post, Naresh Chauhan, Principal Media Advisor to the Chief Minister, called it “unfortunate” and said Sharma’s “frustration is evident.” He questioned why the MLA appeared so “disturbed” and said such remarks were unbecoming of a public representative.

Speaking to reporters, Chauhan stressed that Himachal Pradesh has long been known for its tradition of political decency and mutual respect among leaders. “Legislators should maintain decorum and show respect toward the Chief Minister. Personal attacks do not reflect well on our state’s political culture,” he said, adding that such posts would not affect the Chief Minister’s popularity. “Criticism should be based on facts—people generally dislike personal jibes,” Chauhan added.

Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh also weighed in, saying that Himachal’s tradition and culture must be respected. “Differences between the ruling and opposition parties should revolve around issues and facts, not personal attacks,” he said.

Responding to the criticism on Friday, Sharma defended his post, saying, “I never mentioned the Chief Minister by name. If Mr. Chauhan or anyone else thinks it refers to him, that’s their own interpretation.”

The post drew mixed reactions on social media—while some users condemned it as a personal attack, others viewed it as commentary on the declining tone of political discourse in the state.

Sharma was among the six Congress MLAs who cross-voted in favor of BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan during the Rajya Sabha elections in February last year. He later joined the BJP and was re-elected from the Dharamshala Assembly constituency.