CM Sukhu Calls Himachal BJP Split Into Five Factions
Synopsis
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu publicly alleged on June 25, 2026, that the state BJP is divided into five factions — led by Jairam Thakur, JP Nadda, Bindal, Anurag Thakur, and a fifth 'saleable' group — all fighting over political chairs rather than serving as a credible opposition.
Key Takeaways
CM Sukhu alleged on June 25, 2026 that Himachal Pradesh BJP is split into five distinct factions.
The factions named are those loyal to Jairam Thakur , JP Nadda , Bindal , Anurag Thakur , and a fifth described as a 'bikaau' (saleable) group.
Sukhu framed BJP criticism of his government as self-interested, saying he is fighting for the rights of the people.
The Congress government has been in power in Himachal Pradesh since December 2022 , when it defeated the BJP under Jairam Thakur .
No immediate public response from the named BJP leaders had been issued at the time of the post.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday, June 25, 2026, publicly charged that the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party is fractured into five rival camps, each fighting for its own political survival rather than serving as a credible opposition.
Posting on X, CM Sukhu named the factions as those loyal to former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda, state leader Bindal, Union Minister Anurag Thakur, and what he described as a fifth 'saleable' group — 'ek bikaau gut' [a faction that can be bought]. He said all five are engaged in a chair-fight among themselves.
Context
The post comes amid sustained political sparring between the Congress state government and the BJP opposition since the December 2022 assembly elections, in which Congress defeated the incumbent Jairam Thakur-led BJP government to form the government in Shimla. CM Sukhu has since been a vocal critic of BJP's conduct in the state legislature and in public discourse.
In his post, Sukhu directly addressed criticism aimed at him, saying — 'mere khilaf ye log isliye bolte hain kyunki hum janta ke haq ke liye lad rahe hain' [they speak against me because we are fighting for the rights of the people]. He closed with a philosophical assertion: 'ant mein jeet hamesha sach ki hi hoti hai' [in the end, truth always wins].
Policy Backdrop
The Himachal Pradesh BJP has historically been home to competing power centres. Jagat Prakash Nadda, a native of the state and the party's national president, Jairam Thakur as the most recent former Chief Minister, and Anurag Thakur, a two-time Union Minister from Hamirpur, each command distinct support bases within the state unit. Allegations of internal friction within state BJP units following electoral defeats have been a recurring theme in Indian politics.
Such rhetoric from a sitting Chief Minister typically serves to reframe opposition criticism — shifting the narrative from governance accountability to questions about the opposition's internal cohesion and motives. The reference to a 'bikaau' faction is a pointed allusion to past episodes of legislative defection in the state.
Stakeholders and Impact
The statement directly implicates four of the most prominent faces of Himachal Pradesh BJP — Jairam Thakur, J P Nadda, Anurag Thakur, and Bindal — by naming them as heads of separate factions. Voters in the state, particularly those who have witnessed the political volatility since the 2022 elections, are the intended audience for this message.
For the Congress government, projecting a divided opposition strengthens its political positioning ahead of future electoral cycles. For the BJP, any public response from the named leaders could either confirm or deny the factionalism charge, making their next move politically consequential.
What's Next
Political watchers will look for any public rebuttal from Jairam Thakur, Anurag Thakur, or the BJP state unit in response to CM Sukhu's claims. The next session of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly is likely to see this rhetoric carry over into floor debates. If senior BJP leaders respond individually rather than with a unified voice, it could lend unintended credibility to Sukhu's five-faction narrative.
Point of View
He forces each of them to either respond in coordination — which would require the very unity he denies they have — or stay silent, which allows the narrative to stand unchallenged. The 'bikaau gut' reference is the sharpest barb, invoking the memory of legislative defections that have periodically destabilised Himachal governments. This is a well-worn but effective playbook for a Chief Minister seeking to consolidate his own political standing heading into the next electoral cycle.
NationPress
25 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did CM Sukhu say about Himachal Pradesh BJP?
CM Sukhu alleged on June 25, 2026 that the Himachal Pradesh BJP is divided into five factions — led separately by Jairam Thakur, JP Nadda, Bindal, Anurag Thakur, and a fifth 'saleable' group — all fighting for their own political chairs.
Who are the BJP leaders named by Sukhu in his post?
Sukhu named former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda, state leader Bindal, and Union Minister Anurag Thakur as heads of four of the five factions.
Why did Sukhu say BJP leaders criticise him?
Sukhu said BJP leaders criticise him because his government is fighting for the rights of the people, and he framed their attacks as motivated by personal political interests rather than genuine opposition.
What is the political background of the Sukhu vs BJP conflict in Himachal Pradesh?
The Congress party under Sukhu came to power in December 2022 by defeating the BJP government led by Jairam Thakur. Since then, the two parties have been in sustained political conflict in the state.
What does 'bikaau gut' mean in Sukhu's post?
'Bikaau gut' translates to a 'saleable' or 'purchasable' faction, a term Sukhu used to describe a fifth group within the Himachal BJP, widely interpreted as a reference to legislators susceptible to political defection.
