Shimla: The political temperature in Himachal Pradesh soared on Thursday as Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri launched a sharp, no-holds-barred attack on Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur, accusing him and the BJP of “double speak, selective outrage, and deliberate silence” on issues critical to the state’s financial survival.
Responding to Jairam Thakur’s allegations of fiscal mismanagement against the government led by Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Agnihotri turned the tables, questioning the BJP’s stand on the stoppage of Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) by the 15th Finance Commission under the Modi government.
“Where does the BJP stand on RDG? The Vidhan Sabha has passed a resolution. We have pleaded for its restoration because it is a constitutional grant, stopped wrongly and illegally. But the BJP remains silent. Why?” Agnihotri asked, alleging that the move was politically motivated to destabilize the Congress government.
In a direct challenge to Jairam Thakur, the Deputy CM said, “He claims to have met Union ministers, including the Finance Minister, on this issue. Let him produce the letter, the memorandum, the documentary evidence. The people of Himachal deserve to know the truth.”
Agnihotri also cornered the BJP on the issue of GST compensation, which ended in 2022, arguing that Himachal, being a manufacturing state—especially with hubs like Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh—has been left at a disadvantage.
“Whatever is produced here, the GST benefit goes to the consumer states. Himachal gets nothing in return. Where is BJP’s stand on this? Why this silence?” he said, calling it a “betrayal of the state’s economic interests.”
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu intensified the attack, accusing Jairam Thakur of speaking “different languages inside and outside the Vidhan Sabha,” and attributing it to internal turmoil within the BJP.
“He is under tremendous pressure due to factionalism in his party. There are multiple power centres—groups led by leaders like Harsh Mahajan, Rajiv Bindal, Anurag Thakur and J. P. Nadda. He is fighting for his political survival,” Sukhu said.
The Chief Minister went a step further, alleging that the Leader of the Opposition is resorting to “unparliamentary language” out of frustration. “Instead of addressing real issues, he is making statements that have no connection with the challenges facing Himachal,” Sukhu remarked.
Turning the spotlight on the previous BJP regime, Sukhu said his government inherited a “financially battered state,” burdened with massive liabilities.
“We were handed over unpaid dues, reckless announcements, and infrastructure that exists only on paper—buildings lying vacant, projects without purpose. This is the legacy we are cleaning up,” he said.
In a scathing political counterattack, the Sukhu government made it clear that it is ready to take the fight head-on—daring the opposition to back its claims with proof, while accusing it of abandoning Himachal’s interests at the national level.
As the budget session unfolds, the battle lines are sharply drawn—not just over numbers, but over credibility, accountability, and who truly speaks for Himachal.
