Govt on verge of collapse, says BJP

In a joint media interaction, BJP leaders Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Ashish Sharma and former MLA Rajinder Rana claimed that the Himachal Pradesh Government was on the verge of collapse. They argued that the removal of Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPSs) could result in their loss of Vidhan Sabha membership, further destabilising the administration. The arrest of two businessmen by the Enforcement Directorate had also added to the government’s troubles, they stated.

Lakhanpal accused Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of running the government in a dictatorial manner, leaving ministers and MLAs dissatisfied. He criticised the administration for failing to deliver on its promises, including disaster relief compensation. “Neither the MLAs nor the public are happy with the government’s performance, which has been poor on all fronts,” he remarked.

Rana highlighted that, in addition to the six CPS, three other MLAs are allegedly holding offices of profit, which could lead to their removal by the court and subsequent re-elections. He accused the government of mismanaging state assets, alleging that the Tourism Development Corporation plans to sell properties, including potentially returning the iconic Wildflower Hall hotel to the Oberoi Group. “The CM has put the state on sale, but the BJP will not let it happen,” he asserted.

Ashish Sharma welcomed the upgradation of a municipal committee to a corporation but emphasised that without adequate staff and funds, the move would have minimal impact. He pointed out issues such as poor road connectivity, lack of streetlights, water shortages and bureaucratic hurdles for approving house maps, which continue to plague the public.

The BJP leaders expressed confidence that public dissatisfaction would soon lead to a change in government.