Munish Sood
Mandi
Senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday accused the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government of pursuing a “politics of vendetta” and attempting to discredit the BJP-era Himcare health scheme through what he termed a politically motivated investigation.
Speaking at a felicitation programme for newly elected Panchayati Raj representatives in Nachan, Thakur challenged the state government to prove its allegations of financial irregularities in Himcare, asserting that the scheme had been deliberately targeted after the government failed to substantiate its earlier claims.
Thakur said the government had initially talked about an alleged ₹1,100-crore scam in Himcare, while the total expenditure under the scheme since its inception was around ₹850 crore. He alleged that after being questioned over the figures, the government had now shifted to allegations involving ₹100 crore and ordered a police investigation.
“Let them prove the scam. If they cannot, the people of Himachal will know the truth,” Thakur said, adding that if the BJP returned to power in 2027, it would order an impartial inquiry into the present investigation as well.
The former Chief Minister also launched a broadside against the functioning of the Congress government, alleging that “lockdown and closure” had become its governance model. With the government approaching the end of its term, he claimed that Himachal Pradesh was still at the same point where the BJP government had left it in terms of development.
‘BJP will win all 10 seats in Mandi’
Thakur sounded confident about the BJP’s prospects in the 2027 Assembly elections, claiming that the party would sweep all 10 Assembly constituencies in Mandi district. He also said the political atmosphere was turning favourable for the BJP in Kangra and predicted that the party would win at least 12 seats there.
Referring to the recent Zila Parishad developments in Shimla, Thakur said the BJP’s victory was an indication of growing public discontent with the Congress government. He claimed that even in politically significant areas for the Chief Minister, voters had begun sending a clear message to the ruling party.
Taking a dig at the Congress leadership, Thakur alleged that the Chief Minister’s recent Delhi visit had exposed growing differences within the party. He claimed that while some ministers were seeking a change in leadership and several legislators were aspiring for ministerial berths, the Congress high command had not even granted them an audience.
He further accused the Chief Minister of announcing ministerial berths without any formal constitutional process, leaving aspirants waiting for months.
Panchayat polls another setback for Congress: Thakur
On the Panchayati Raj elections, Thakur alleged that the state government had attempted to delay the polls through every possible means and that the elections were ultimately held only after the intervention of the Supreme Court.
He said the results had demonstrated that the people were not willing to support the Congress government and credited BJP workers and leaders for the party’s performance.
Thakur also alleged that the government was using official machinery to target political opponents, claiming that false FIRs had been registered against 13 BJP MLAs and former legislators and that officials were being pressured to build cases against BJP leaders.
He urged the newly elected Panchayati Raj representatives to work without fear or political pressure and make development and public service their priority.
Local MLA Vinod Kumar also criticised the state government and called upon the newly elected representatives to work honestly and remain committed to the interests of the people.
‘India emerging as a major global power’
Speaking on the BRICS summit, Thakur said India’s growing role under Prime Minister Narendra Modi had strengthened the country’s standing on the global stage.
He said India had effectively raised the concerns of developing countries and pushed for greater participation of emerging economies in global decision-making. According to Thakur, cooperation in trade, technology, digital economy, supply chains and other economic sectors would create new opportunities for India.
He said India was no longer merely participating in the changing global order but was increasingly playing a role in shaping the international agenda.
