CM Bhajan Lal hits back at Rahul Gandhi over COEMPT row
Synopsis
Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma fired back at Rahul Gandhi on 28 May 2026, saying Gandhi was spreading fear about firm COEMPT while ignoring that Congress-governed states like Telangana and Karnataka had repeatedly awarded it contracts, calling the move political propaganda targeting youth.
Key Takeaways
CM Bhajan Lal Sharma publicly rebuked Rahul Gandhi on 28 May 2026 over claims about a firm called COEMPT .
Sharma alleged that universities in Congress-ruled Telangana and Karnataka had repeatedly engaged COEMPT for work.
He claimed Telangana State Health University had officially praised COEMPT, though this claim is unverified from public record.
The CM accused Gandhi of creating an atmosphere of fear among students using 'half-facts' on a sensitive subject.
Sharma warned that India's youth would not serve as instruments of 'political propaganda'.
The dispute reflects a broader pattern of BJP-Congress exchanges over higher-education procurement transparency across states.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Thursday, 28 May 2026, sharply rebuked Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of spreading misinformation about a private firm called COEMPT and creating fear among students on the basis of incomplete facts.
Context
In a post on X, CM Sharma charged that ignoring facts to grab political headlines and spread confusion has become a habit of Rahul Gandhi. The Hindi-language post stated: 'tathyon ko darkinaar kar kewal raajnitik surkiyaan batorana' ('setting aside facts to merely harvest political headlines') is Gandhi's established pattern. The remarks come amid a broader controversy over contracts awarded to COEMPT, a company Gandhi had apparently flagged in his own public communications.
Policy Backdrop
CM Sharma argued that the very company Gandhi is targeting has repeatedly been assigned work by universities in Congress-governed states — specifically citing Telangana and Karnataka. He further claimed that Telangana State Health University had officially commended COEMPT's work. Asking Gandhi pointedly, 'Will you now put your own Congress governments in the dock?', the Chief Minister framed the controversy as a case of selective outrage that undermines the opposition's own record in power. It is worth noting that the research background flags the specific claims about COEMPT contracts and official praise from Telangana State Health University as unverified from established public record.
Stakeholders and Impact
The dispute centres on higher education procurement and its effect on students, with both sides invoking youth welfare to strengthen their positions. University students across states governed by rival parties find themselves at the centre of a political exchange over vendor selection, transparency in academic contracts, and institutional credibility. Inter-party disputes of this nature in India routinely draw in state university administrations, placing pressure on them to clarify procurement decisions publicly.
What's Next
The exchange is likely to prompt responses from Congress spokespersons and possibly clarifications from university administrations in Telangana and Karnataka regarding their engagements with COEMPT. CM Sharma closed with a pointed warning directed at Gandhi: 'The youth of this country will not become a vehicle for your political propaganda.' Whether the controversy escalates into a formal legislative or regulatory inquiry into the company's contracts will depend on how the opposition chooses to respond.
Point of View
He redirects the controversy onto Congress's own governance record in Telangana and Karnataka. By invoking student welfare and youth aspirations, both sides are competing for the same demographic, signalling that higher-education procurement has become a live political battleground ahead of potential state electoral cycles. The exchange also underscores how social media has compressed the response window in Indian politics — a ruling-state chief minister now publicly fact-checks an opposition leader within hours, bypassing traditional press channels entirely.
NationPress
18 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the COEMPT controversy that Rahul Gandhi and Bhajan Lal Sharma are fighting about?
COEMPT is a private company whose contracts with educational institutions became a point of political dispute. Rahul Gandhi raised concerns about the firm, while Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma countered that Congress-governed states like Telangana and Karnataka had themselves awarded the company multiple contracts.
What did CM Bhajan Lal Sharma say about Telangana State Health University and COEMPT?
CM Sharma claimed that Telangana State Health University had officially praised COEMPT's work, using this to argue that Gandhi's criticism was inconsistent with his own party's record in power. This specific claim has not been independently verified from public record.
Why is Bhajan Lal Sharma criticising Rahul Gandhi over education contracts?
CM Sharma accused Gandhi of spreading fear among students using incomplete facts about COEMPT, arguing that raising such issues without full context on a sensitive topic like education harms student welfare and amounts to political propaganda.
Which states are mentioned in the COEMPT university contract row?
Telangana and Karnataka — both governed by the Congress party — are the states cited by CM Sharma as having awarded contracts to COEMPT, which he used to challenge the consistency of Gandhi's criticism.
What is Bhajan Lal Sharma's political position?
Bhajan Lal Sharma is the Chief Minister of Rajasthan and a Bharatiya Janata Party leader who assumed office in December 2023.
