Sarveen Chaudhry was divested of an important portfolio during the recent reshuffle.

It is an established fact that Prime Ministers and Chief Ministers do prepare confidential files of omissions and corruption related deals of some of the ‘notorious’ ministers of their cabinet to nail them down whenever they try to raise their heads to challenge their authority.

But it rarely happens when a Chief Minister opts to directly order a vigilance inquiry against his minister into corruption allegations and it is true to Himachal Pradesh CM, Jai Ram Thakur, who has asked his vigilance officials to ascertain the Truth in land deal purchase irregularities committed, if any, by cabinet minister Sarveen Chaudhry in Kangra?

Ex cabinet minister, Major Vijay Singh Mankotia had alleged that one cabinet minister of Jai Ram Thakur government and her relatives had purchased thousands of canals land in Kangra soon after Investors’ Meet held in Dharamshala last year which must be investigated and action must be taken for committing the irregularities.

Mankotia is known for taking up sensitive issues and never hesitated in taking cudgles against big ones including Ex CM, Virbhadra Singh.

In retaliation, Sarveen Chaudhry accused Mankotia of making baseless allegations which were ill founded .She clarified that she had filed all details of her properties before election commission  which was authentic. She threatened to take legal action against Mankotia.

CM Jai Ram Thakur, normally a low lying politician, has unnerved Sarveen who has rushed to Delhi to clarify her position to BJP high command which may or may not side with her.

Thakur had shown his guts when he laid hands on Ravinder Ravi, former cabinet minister and staunch loyalist of Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, last year and directed his police to lodge an FIR against him in a case which pertained to a ‘Letter Bomb’.

Ravi was accused of making the letter bomb viral on social media through one Manoj Samand through fake facebook account and serious allegations were levelled against former health minister, Vipin Parmar, CM and Vikram Singh, industries minister for facilitating the purchase of Rs 35 crore low quality medicines?

Police had confiscated mobile of Ravi who had demanded a thorough probe and denied his connection with this letter but expressed his apprehensions about involvement of top politicians in the entire episode. Health department had issued a long clarification and denied violation of rules and procedures in the purchase of medicines.

Interestingly, union minister of state for finance, Anurag Thakur had openly supported Ravi who belongs to Dhumal faction and refused to be cowed down by such political vendetta.

The letter had asked former CM, Shanta Kumar ,who is known for his bluntness, to raise this issue of corruption in the purchase of medicines in health department but he refrained from publically writing to CM to hold an inquiry and reasons are better known to him only which could be obviously Political?

He had dropped a two page Letter Bomb written as Kangra MP on July 10,2015 and demanded setting up of an ‘Ethical Committee’ to enquire into scams like Vyapam in MP (though state government of Shivraj Singh belonged to BJP) which should act like Lokpal in the party.

Political observers are asking the whereabouts of the Inquiry against Ravi which might have been pushed under carpet as the outcome is still awaited. But such fate of government inquiries in several scams can be easily predicted by any citizen.

It seems to be certain that Sarveen controversy has got potential to take a shape of sharp division in Thakur and Dhumal groups which will be witnessed after the outcome of preliminary investigation ordered by CM.

Secondly, Sarveen Chaudhry was divested of her important portfolio of country and planning during the recent reshuffle and expansion of cabinet which had left her angry and upset though she did not express it publically.

Thirdly, three dissident MLAs of Dhumal camp including Ramesh Dhawla, Narinder Bragta and Rajiv Bindal had intentionally abstained from BJP legislatures’ meeting to express their annoyance and dissatisfaction over their non inclusion in the cabinet.

Finally, an impression has been given that national president, J. P. Nadda has been taken into confidence about the questionable land deal of Sarveen Chaudhry prior to ordering unofficial inquiry against her.

It will be interesting to see whether allegations against Sarveen have got some truth or they are fictitious.

In case, there is some meat in it then it can lead to the dropping of Chaudhry from Himachal Pradesh cabinet which will lead to an open confrontation between Dhumal and Thakur’s groups? Let us keep our fingers crossed? Some hints of the proportion of dissidence against CM may be seen during the ensuing assembly session also?

Contrary to it, CM seems to be in a comfortable position so long as an aggressive opposition, Congress, is concerned as its leaders are busy in settling the scores against each other which had been witnessed in the past also.

Former senior leader and ex PCC chief, Kaul Singh Thakur had set the ball in motion when he invited a small group of MLAs and ex lawmakers for luncheon meeting to chalk out future strategy to create a space for themselves in the party.