Munish Sood
Mandi
Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur on Tuesday launched a strong attack on the Congress-led Himachal Pradesh government, alleging serious financial mismanagement, administrative inconsistency, and rising corruption under the leadership of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
Addressing a press conference in Mandi after the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) state executive meeting, Thakur claimed that the state is facing an unprecedented fiscal strain, with delays in salary disbursements to government employees, officers, and elected representatives. He described the situation as deeply concerning and without precedent in the state’s administrative history.
Concerns Over State Finances
Raising questions over the government’s financial management, Thakur alleged that policy decisions taken by the present dispensation have significantly weakened the state’s fiscal position. He contrasted the borrowing patterns of successive governments, stating that while his administration raised loans of approximately ₹19,000 crore over five years, the current government has added over ₹40,000 crore within a much shorter span, pushing the total debt burden beyond ₹1.10 lakh crore.
He maintained that the trend reflects a lack of fiscal discipline and long-term planning, which could have serious implications for the state’s economic stability.
Allegations of Corruption and Governance Issues
The Leader of Opposition also raised concerns over what he termed as increasing instances of corruption during the current tenure. He alleged that several cases involving public representatives and officials have surfaced, raising questions about transparency and accountability.
Referring to the Chester Hills issue, Thakur pointed to alleged violations of statutory provisions, including Section 118, and indicated the possibility of benami transactions. He further alleged that a senior official misused his position while serving in a key administrative role, adding that the matter warrants a thorough and impartial investigation.
Administrative Contradictions Highlighted
Thakur also flagged what he described as inconsistencies within the government’s administrative functioning. Citing recent decisions, he claimed that directives issued at the highest bureaucratic level regarding service extensions were contradicted by parallel approvals from the Chief Minister’s Office on the same day.
According to him, such developments reflect a lack of coordination within the government and raise concerns about institutional clarity and governance processes.
Political Remarks and Centre-State Dynamics
In his remarks, Thakur also criticised the Chief Minister’s public statements, alleging that several claims made during election campaigns and public addresses were misleading. He further stated that the state government has been reluctant to formally acknowledge financial assistance received from the Centre, despite benefiting from it for developmental activities.
He cited an instance where, according to him, the state received financial support following a high-level meeting with the Prime Minister, suggesting that cooperative federalism should be acknowledged transparently.
BJP Signals Political Outreach
Referring to the BJP’s state executive meeting held in Mandi after an eight-year interval, Thakur said the party has adopted key political resolutions and will intensify its outreach across the state to highlight what it terms as “public-centric concerns” arising from the government’s policies.
He also pointed to differing statements from senior members of the state government regarding long-term developmental goals, including making Himachal Pradesh self-reliant by 2027, and said such inconsistencies could impact public confidence.
Several senior BJP leaders, including MLAs Anil Sharma and Balbir Verma, party vice-president Bihari Lal Sharma, general secretary Payal Vaidya, media in-charge Rakesh Walia, and district spokesperson Pratap Thakur, were present at the press conference.
