Says elections to be held before January deadline
Munish Sood
MANDI: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday issued a clarification on the controversy surrounding the upcoming panchayat elections, asserting that the polls had not been postponed but only deferred in light of the recent natural calamities across Himachal Pradesh.
He also launched a sharp attack on the opposition BJP, accusing it of being “divided into five warring camps” and of conspiring against him instead of helping the people.
Addressing the media in Shimla, Sukhu said the BJP was deliberately spreading misinformation over the panchayat elections.
“There is no question of postponing the elections. We have time till January 23 to conduct them. Due to heavy rains and landslides, some panchayats remain disconnected. Our immediate focus is to ensure relief and rehabilitation for affected families,” Sukhu clarified.
He emphasised that the decision to review the election schedule was taken after consulting all Deputy Commissioners, many of whom reported that rural connectivity had not been fully restored. “Elections will be held only after all link roads reopen. We don’t want any citizen to be deprived of their right to vote,” he added.
Sukhu said that disaster management and people’s welfare take priority over political noise. “We cannot ignore the suffering of those who lost their homes and livelihoods. The BJP is trying to politicize a humanitarian situation,” he said.
Sukhu says BJP split into five factions
After setting the record straight on elections, the Chief Minister shifted his focus toward the opposition, accusing the BJP of being deeply divided and plagued by internal rivalries.
“The BJP is no longer a united party in Himachal. It is split into five factions — one led by JP Nadda, another by Jai Ram Thakur, one by Anurag Thakur, another by Rajeev Bindal and the fifth by Harsh Mahajan. Each group is busy weakening the other,” Sukhu said.
He alleged that the BJP’s repeated attacks on the state government were an attempt to hide its own leadership crisis. “Instead of conspiring against me every time, the BJP should first settle its own internal disputes. The people of Himachal can clearly see that the opposition is fighting itself, not the government,” he remarked.
BJP faces heat amid internal rift claims
Sukhu’s remarks have triggered a new political storm in the hill state. His direct naming of top BJP leaders — including national president JP Nadda and Union Minister Anurag Thakur — has intensified debate over the party’s internal equations.
Political observers note that tensions between supporters of Jai Ram Thakur and Anurag Thakur have been simmering for months, with each camp seeking to strengthen its foothold before the next assembly elections.
A senior political analyst in Shimla said, “Sukhu’s statement is a strategic move. By highlighting BJP’s internal divisions, he’s trying to portray Congress as stable and focused on governance while putting the opposition on the defensive.”
