‘Moderate rhetoric, listen to honest mins’: Jai Ram tells Sukhu

Shimla: Former chief minister Jairam Thakur on Thursday criticised the Himachal Pradesh Congress govt, accusing it of administrative failure and financial incompetence.Thakur, addressing a press conference, blamed the state govt for the discontinuation of the revenue deficit grant (RDG), saying Congress failed to present the state's case effectively to the 16th Finance Commission. He highlighted a "double standard", noting that the Congress-led govt in Karnataka previously opposed RDG. The leader of the opposition said the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led govt spent three years blaming the BJP while the state's economy struggled, pensions and salaries faced delays, and legislative priorities were stalled due to the discontinuation of MLA funds. He questioned the chief minister's vision of making Himachal self-reliant by 2027 and the richest state by 2032, calling it unrealistic. Presenting comparative data, Thakur stated Himachal received Rs 18,091 crore in RDG during 2005–2015, which rose over fourfold to Rs 77,823 crore between 2015–2025 under the Narendra Modi-led NDA govt. He warned that key promises, including Rs 1,500 for women, remained unfulfilled, and accused the state of being "directionless" amid rising corruption and lawlessness. Thakur also criticised the state govt's approach to panchayat elections, calling it a "fear of defeat", and highlighted the mounting state debt, which exceeded previous limits. He urged Sukhu to moderate rhetoric, listen to honest ministers, and present the state's case to the central govt. Thakur stressed that central support for Himachal Pradesh remained strong, citing allocations of Rs 13,949 crore in tax devolution, Rs 10,243 crore in grants, and Rs 8,309 crore in interest-free loans for 2026–27. Former ministers Suresh Bhardwaj and Chopal MLA Balbir Verma also attended the event. MSID: 127932181 413 |