Munish Sood
Mandi:
In a rare political coincidence, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda visited flashflood and cloudburst-hit Mandi district on the same day, more than a week after disaster struck.
While both leaders cited the need for on-ground damage assessment and public outreach, the synchrony of their visits, after days of absence, has drawn sharp criticism from political observers and victims alike.
More than 42 persons remain missing and hundreds have been displaced since cloudbursts on June 30 devastated parts of Seraj, Nachan, Karsog and Dharampur. Over 400 homes were swept away, prompting urgent appeals for relief. The appeals, critics say, were met with political posturing rather than immediate action.
Sukhu’s delayed visit sparks opposition criticism
Chief Minister Sukhu’s arrival in Seraj via road on Tuesday, after his helicopter was grounded due to inclement weather, came after mounting criticism over his prolonged absence. Accompanied by district officials and disaster teams, Sukhu announced Rs 7 lakh compensation for families whose homes were destroyed and Rs 50,000 for livestock loss.
“These are not just statistics. These are families that need urgent and long-term help,” Sukhu said, assuring that the relief measures would be formalised in the upcoming Cabinet session.
However, the Chief Minister’s delayed presence was seized upon by the opposition BJP, who accused the Congress-led state government of being slow and reactive.
“People searched for the missing and took shelter in broken schools while the CM stayed away. Announcements are welcome but they are no substitute for early action,” said former CM Jai Ram Thakur, who represents the Seraj constituency.
Nadda’s surprise return draws mixed reactions
Complicating the political narrative further was the unannounced arrival of BJP president JP Nadda, who had earlier been in Himachal from July 2 to 5 but did not visit a single disaster site. His sudden return Tuesday — coinciding with Sukhu’s visit — is being viewed by many as damage control amid growing public discontent and criticism from within his own party.
During his brief stop in Pangalioner (Nachan), Nadda met affected families and pledged “full support from the Centre,” though no specific relief measures were declared. Sources close to the BJP said Nadda’s return was influenced by state BJP president Rajeev Bindal’s public remarks about delays in both relief and visibility from senior leaders.
Political analyst Vinay Chauhan commented, “The fact that both leaders showed up on the same day, after an entire week of devastation, does not feel like leadership — it feels like optics. There was a clear opportunity for swift, coordinated response and instead what we got was staggered silence followed by a synchronised show of presence.”
“We don’t care who comes here. We want water, electricity, and help finding our missing family members. The rest is just noise,” said Pritam Negi, a survivor from Karsog now living in a relief camp with no access to clean drinking water.
