BJP indulged in horse-trading during RS poll: Sukhvinder Sukhu

Our Correspondent

Chamba, May 2

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said that the people of the state would vote for the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections and the Assembly byelectcions considering development works undertaken by the government over the past 15 months.

Sukhu, while addressing an election meeting at Bharmour in Chamba district, claimed that the Congress would win all four Lok Sabha seats and six Assembly byelections by significant margins.

He accused the BJP of resorting to horse-trading in the Rajya Sabha elections. He alleged that six rebel MLAs cross-voted in favour of BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan after they were kept in expensive hotels outside the state. “Six Congress rebels had praised the government during discussions on the Budget but switched loyalty during the Rajya Sabha elections,” he added.

Sukhu said that the BJP tried to destabilise the state government using money power, while pointing out similar incidents in Maharashtra and Karnataka. He added that it was the Assembly Speaker, Kuldeep Singh Pathania, who saved the government and upheld the rule of law.

The Chief Minster said that when the Congress formed government in the state the coffers were empty primarily due to the flawed policies of the previous BJP government. “However, with strong determination, the Congress government brought a turnaround in the state’s financial condition by putting an end to corruption. Also, the government earned an additional revenue of Rs 2,200 crore within a year. The surplus revenue generated by curbing corruption is being utilised to implement beneficial schemes for all sections of society,” he added.

He said that the BJP repeatedly questioned the government as to when would it fulfil the promise of providing Rs 1,500 per month assistance to women. “On March 3, the state government launched the Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi Yojana to fulfil the commitment. However, the BJP attempted to obstruct the scheme by approaching the Election Commission twice,” he alleged.

Sukhu said that the state government had also increased the dearness allowance of employees by four per cent and the police diet allowance from Rs 210 to Rs 1,000. Himachal became the first state in the country to provide the minimum support price for milk, he added.

He underscored the government’s efforts in providing education and support to orphans and the children of single mothers along with reforms in revenue laws and the establishment of revenue lok adalats.

Sukhu hit out at the Central Government for not providing sufficient aid during the rain disaster. He, however, commended the state government’s swift action in restoring essential services in flood-affected areas of Kullu district within 48 hours and later providing a Rs 4,500-crore relief package.

Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania, Congress candidate for the Mandi parliamentary constituency Vikramaditya Singh, former minister Asha Kumari and Chamba MLA Neeraj Nayar attended the meeting.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.

#BJP #Chamba #Congress #Lok Sabha #Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu