BJP Slams Sukhu Government Over Delayed Guarantees as Electoral Year Approaches
SHIMLA: Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu during a press conference in Shimla, accusing the Congress government of waking up to its poll promises only as the electoral year draws closer.
Thakur asserted that after four years of neglect, the state government is attempting to hoodwink the public with delayed rollouts of pre-poll guarantees, driven by recent setbacks in Panchayati Raj and local body elections.
Addressing the core issues raised during the media briefing, Thakur pointed out that while Congress promised a monthly stipend of rupees fifteen hundred to all women aged 18 to 59 without preconditions, amounting to roughly twenty thousand crore rupees for 28 lakh eligible women, the current cabinet decision limits the benefit to merely 3.50 lakh women through restrictive criteria. He questioned the fate of the remaining 24.50 lakh women and demanded an apology from the administration.
Highlighting financial viability concerns, Thakur noted that disbursing the stipend to the restricted list requires around 630 crore rupees, yet the state's total social welfare budget has seen a 62 percent reduction compared to the previous year, raising serious questions over the actual funding sources.
The BJP leader further accused the government of failing to deliver the promised 300 units of free electricity, claiming that instead of honoring the pledge, the administration has restricted the existing 125-unit relief provided by the previous BJP regime. He also slammed the administration over stagnant employment targets of one lakh jobs per year, delayed payments spanning four to six months for dairy farmers, and unfulfilled promises regarding milk and cow dung procurement.
Pointing to internal dissent within the ruling party, including a ruling MLA Sunder Thakur issuing an ultimatum over ministerial berths, Thakur stated that the opposition will aggressively corner the government during the upcoming winter session over rising corruption, drug abuse, crumbling road infrastructure, and deteriorating law and order.
The opposition maintains that the public can clearly differentiate between hollow electoral announcements and genuine governance, warning that the BJP will closely monitor the execution and enforcement of these last-minute guarantees.
