All is not well within Himachal Congress as Doon MLA again targets Industries Minister Harshwardhan

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Questions cash-strapped govt’s decision to spend Rs 8 cr on retaining wall for private firm Indo Farm

TNR News Networks (Sunil Chadha)

Internal discord within the ruling Congress in Himachal Pradesh has resurfaced as Doon MLA Chaudhary Ram Kumar launched a scathing attack on Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan.
Using the Himachal Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (HPSIDC) as an issue, Kumar, who has remained a Chief Parliamentary Secretary, criticised the government’s decision to spend Rs 8.75 crore on constructing a protective wall for private firm Indo Farm’s land in Malukmajra.

Questions over splurging govt funds on private firm

Kumar questioned why public funds were being spent to safeguard industrial land that had remained unused for two years. “The company should bear the cost of the protective wall instead of burdening the state, which is already grappling with financial challenges,” he remarked during an informal interaction with the media in Solan.
This isn’t the first time Kumar has targeted Chauhan. His consistent criticism highlights the growing rift within the Congress, echoing the rebellion during the 2024 Rajya Sabha elections when six Congress MLAs publicly opposed party decisions and defeated the official candidate.

Allegations of favouritism in land allotment

Kumar alleged that the previous Jai Ram government had allotted 150 bighas of land in Malukmajra to Indo Farm at Rs 250 per square metre, earning only Rs 2.81 crore in revenue despite the land’s market value being Rs 123 crore. He also pointed out that another 150 bighas in Kishanpura was allotted for a nominal Re 1 per square metre.
Kumar urged Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to reclaim the land, as was done recently with the Device Park project, suggesting that open auctions could fetch Rs 125 crore and Rs 90 crore for the respective plots.
“The public nature of Kumar’s remarks and his repeated targeting of the Industries Minister underscore lingering tensions within the Congress. Such disputes could undermine the party’s governance and unity in the state,” said a political analyst.

Sunil Chadda

Sunil Chadda

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