This kind of thing has happened before and is a classic example of why you should be careful who you antagonise on the way up, whether inadvertantly or not. It's a small enough industry that there will always be someone who knows you or of you.
I've met several pilots who were regarded with a certain amount of disdain by others around them. Inevitably this always impacted their career. It wasn't just their qualifications or performance as a pilot it was often as not their personality that came into question.
The crucial questions seems to be whether I would want to share a cockpit with this person or come to that share a drink. I can think of several people who were puzzled by their relative lack of progress, yet it came down to the fact the everyone else couldn't stand them.
I'm certainly not saying that's the situation in this case. This may just be a case of personal dislike. But it happens, unfair or not, whether we like it or not.
If you are to be honest how many people do you know who you wouldn't like to share a cockpit with? How many pilots have you shared a cockpit with but wouldn't like to repeat the experience?
Tough one that.