Upbeat with the recent by-election victory, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu asserted that Himachal Pradesh voters have solidly backed the Congress Party and rejected the BJP’s alleged attempt to destabilize the state government. Addressing the media following the oath-taking ceremony for newly elected MLAs Kamlesh Thakur, Hardeep Singh Bawa and Ashish Sharma, Sukhu claimed that the BJP had orchestrated a plot to topple the Congress-led government, which led to the recent by-elections.
“The Congress Party exposed the BJP’s conspiracy to the voters, who responded decisively in favour of the Congress,” Sukhu declared. He highlighted that the Congress representation in the Assembly has now increased to 40 MLAs. The Chief Minister advised BJP leaders to move away from negative politics and collaborate with the state government for the betterment of Himachal Pradesh. He also called on the BJP to stop obstructing Union Government projects intended for the state, emphasizing the need for cooperative governance.
Sukhu commended the state government’s efforts during last year’s disaster, which received global recognition. Despite meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, he noted that the state has not yet received any disaster relief assistance from the Center.
Reaffirming his commitment to lead the state towards rapid development with public support, Sukhu claimed that the Congress government has created 28,000 job opportunities in the government sector alone, compared to the 20,000 jobs provided by the previous BJP administration, many of which faced legal challenges.
In response to questions, CM Sukhu criticized the previous BJP government for excessive borrowing without substantial investment in development projects. He explained that the current government has had to take loans to service the interest on inherited debt. Nonetheless, Sukhu highlighted that recent measures have improved the state’s economic condition by twenty percent.
