Joshimath was defunct for 2 centuries ,it was reconstituted in 1949. By 1959 there was a dispute over succession as the first acharya died. In 1980s this dispute spread to Dwarka as well as Swaroopanand took over the matha. https://twitter.com/singh_lukeshwar/status/1285509489211240449

By 1990s there were a dozen claimants to the seat of joshimath and a few in dwarka as well. Both VHP and Congress were supporting their own candidates for the seat. There is no politically neutral acharyas in this.

Its BS to pretend that BJP unilaterally intervened in an ancient tradition. There were already political figures influencing Joshimath. The matha has not been stable for long enough to have a established line of succession and politics has only exacerbated it.

It's better to shut up about this issue than support either side. There are no non political shankaracharyas or ancient unbroken tradition here. It's all a clusterfuck to put it nicely and adding fuel to the fire isn't helping.

FWIW Congress has been propping up shankaracharyas of it's own even in Puri which is very stable. The congressi candidate for Puri Matha gave a lot of interviews around 2014 elections accusing Modi of genociding Sullas. Propping up the candidates absolutely not limited to BJP.