We have heard it said that in politics, decisions made in the present are often judged through the shadows of the past.
This holds when old questions remain unanswered. Parties may move on quickly, but controversies stay on. And they resurface oddly at the most inconvenient moments.
Sunil Sharma’s career trajectory may be viewed in this light.
The Congress has announced the appointment of district presidents in four of the remaining five districts under the organisation’s restructuring campaign. Sunil Sharma has been appointed district president of Jaipur.
As several reports highlighted, it was aimed at strengthening the party ahead of future electoral battles.
However, there were murmurs from party insiders. Given Sharma’s political history, the appointment was considered as avoidable.
For those who came in late, here’s the background.
Sunil Sharma was at the centre of a major political row two years ago. The Congress named him as its Lok Sabha candidate from Jaipur. The announcement triggered sharp reactions because of his alleged links to The Jaipur Dialogues, a digital platform known for content critical of the Congress and its leadership.
Mohammed Zubair, fact checker and co-founder of AltNews, said scathingly on social media: “Wow! So Congress has given a ticket to Sunil Sharma, Partner and Director of @JaipurDialogues.
Hello @kharge @RahulGandhi @priyankagandhi, This handle @JaipurDialogues is one of the most hateful X handles. Most content against religion and Congress.”
However, the issue was not limited to social media criticism. Senior Congress functionaries, including the party’s MP Tharoor, too weren’t convinced about his leadership role with the Congress.
Tharoor questioned how someone associated with a platform that routinely targeted Congress leaders could be trusted with an election ticket.
His remarks expectedly gained national attention.
The backlash only intensified. Party workers and supporters echoed similar concerns. Within days, the Congress leadership acted.
Under pressure, the Congress withdrew Sharma’s candidature. He was replaced by senior leader Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, a senior Congress leader who has previously served as the cabinet minister of food and civil supplies consumer affairs government of Rajasthan.
The change was perceived as an admission that the criticism directed at Sunil Sharma wasn’t unfair.
Meanwhile, Sunil Sharma denied having links with the platform.
He reportedly said that attended some panel discussions hosted by Jaipur Dialogues, and had no link with its management.
“I was never associated with the management of Jaipur Dialogues YouTube channel. I am often invited by TV channels and YouTube platforms as a panelist to articulate the Congress perspective. In the same way, The Jaipur Dialogues invited me to speak on social issues and elaborate the Congress vision. There I strongly opposed religious bigotry,” he said in a statement in Hindi, posted on a social media platform.
But the damage had been done. The episode left a lasting impression on his political profile.
The decision to now give him charge of the Jaipur unit of the Congress has triggered a fresh round of debate.
It’s held that the party had options; this appointment could have been avoided.
They believe district-level appointments are meant to project stability and unity, not revive unresolved debates.
Internal reports suggest that the Jaipur post saw intense competition, with multiple contenders and factional lobbying. Sunil Sharma’s past became a point of discussion during the selection process, claimed media reports citing party insiders.
From the party’s perspective, the appointment appears to be a calculated move. Congress leaders have defended recent district president selections as part of a balancing exercise between factions and loyalists across Rajasthan.
Supporters of the decision argue that Sharma has organisational experience and local reach. They say past controversies should not permanently disqualify leaders from party roles.
However, political observers note a key difference. Sharma’s earlier controversy was not a routine disagreement. It involved public objections from senior national figures and forced a rare candidate reversal during an election season.
That history, they argue, makes the current appointment vulnerable to criticism. It’s another matter that no senior leader is yet to oppose it.
For now, the debate remains subdued. But the message is clear. At a time when the Congress is working to rebuild trust and coherence, this was a controversy it did not need to revisit.
Also Read: Congress Is Optimistic About Second Phase Of Rajasthan LS Polls https://www.vibesofindia.com/congress-is-optimistic-about-second-phase-of-rajasthan-ls-polls/
