Munish Sood
Mandi
Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur launched a sharp attack on the Congress government at Balichowki in his home constituency of Seraj on Tuesday, accusing Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of being more focused on saving his chair and managing Delhi politics than addressing the state’s concerns.
Addressing a protest against the state government and a felicitation function for newly elected Panchayati Raj representatives, Thakur alleged that the Congress government was marked by “anarchy, corruption and political vendetta” and claimed that the BJP was set to return to power with a strong mandate in 2027.
“Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is busy running to Delhi to save his chair. He has no concern for the development of Himachal Pradesh and has become a follower of the Gandhi family,” Thakur alleged.
Targeting the government over the rebuilding and inauguration of the Government Senior Secondary School at Deori in Mandi district, Thakur alleged that several schools damaged in natural disasters were awaiting reconstruction, but the government remained focused on the school where Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was expected to visit.
He alleged that students were deprived of basic facilities for nearly a year while the government waited for the proposed visit. The matter eventually came under the scrutiny of the High Court, he said.
“Just to please one member of the Gandhi family, the government put rules and procedures aside and insisted on waiting for Priyanka Gandhi to inaugurate the school,” Thakur said, adding that the court had to intervene to ensure that children were not deprived of facilities while waiting for a political leader.
He also invited Priyanka Gandhi to visit Himachal and inaugurate schools rebuilt after the disaster.
“First get all the schools destroyed in the disaster rebuilt. We will then welcome you to inaugurate them,” he said.
Thakur accused the Congress government of pursuing “politics of vendetta” against opposition leaders and workers. He claimed that FIRs had been registered against BJP leaders, including the party president and legislators, for raising questions against the government.
“I have seen several governments come and go, but this is the first government that cannot tolerate criticism. Whenever questions are raised, FIRs are registered,” he alleged.
Turning to issues in Seraj, Thakur alleged that around 50 institutions had been closed after the Congress government came to power. He particularly raised the issue of a civil hospital building in the area, claiming that although the building had been completed, the facility had remained locked for years.
He linked the issue to the death of a woman from Seraj, Manju Devi, at a hospital in Kullu, arguing that adequate healthcare facilities in the area could have reduced the need for patients to travel outside the constituency for treatment.
Taking a swipe at Kullu MLA Sundar Singh Thakur over his reported remarks about patients from Seraj seeking treatment in Kullu, the Leader of Opposition said healthcare facilities should be about saving lives rather than political differences.
“Health institutions are meant to save people’s lives. Instead of questioning why people from Seraj are coming to Kullu for treatment, the government should answer why functioning facilities in Seraj have been kept closed,” he said.
Thakur said the Congress government had lost the confidence of the people and claimed that its “vendetta-driven politics” would cost it politically.
He asserted that the BJP had strengthened its grassroots position following the Panchayati Raj elections and that the groundwork for a change of government had already been laid.
“The ground for removing this anti-people government has already been prepared after the Panchayat elections. The BJP will return to power in 2027 with a massive mandate,” Thakur said.
He urged the Chief Minister to step aside if he was unable to put the interests of Himachal Pradesh ahead of political considerations in Delhi.
