Shimla: Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has termed the BJP Legislature Party’s decision to boycott the MLA Priority Meeting as politically motivated. He accused the opposition party of deliberately avoiding discussions in the Vidhan Sabha, all-party meetings, and MLA Priority Meetings due to internal divisions within the Himachal Pradesh BJP.
Speaking informally to the media during the MLA Priority Meeting, Sukhu alleged that the BJP is fractured into five factions, leading to its inability to present a united front. He further claimed that after winning the Rajya Sabha elections, Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur and State BJP President Dr. Rajiv Bindal failed to secure victory in the recent by-elections, signalling their declining influence within the party. He asserted that BJP MLAs do not heed Jairam Thakur’s leadership, while his colleagues disregard Dr. Rajiv Bindal.
The Chief Minister also accused the BJP of neglecting the interests of Himachal Pradesh by refusing to engage in discussions on key issues like corruption. He stated that the Congress is committed to making Himachal Pradesh self-reliant, while the BJP’s internal conflicts have rendered them indifferent to public welfare.
Rejecting Jairam Thakur’s allegations, Sukhu said that BJP MLAs have been allocated sufficient funds under NABARD schemes, sometimes even exceeding the set limits. He highlighted that Jairam Thakur’s own constituency, Siraj, has been allocated over Rs 172.44 crore against the Rs 172 crore limit. Similarly, constituencies like Shri Naina Devi Ji and Jaswan-Pragpur received Rs 173 crore more than the designated amount.
Sukhu further detailed fund allocations for other constituencies, stating that Sundernagar received Rs 82 crore, Drang Rs 50 crore, Nachan Rs 50 crore, Jogindernagar Rs 50 crore, Sarkaghat Rs 93 crore, Balh Rs 60 crore, Mandi Rs 73 crore, and Dharampur Rs 38 crore. He emphasized that BJP MLAs have been granted their rightful share of the budget, and in some cases, even more than required.