States » NorthPosted at: Oct 19 2026 11:21PM


Sukhu govt has become ‘loan-friendly’ to fill friends’ coffers, alleges Jai Ram Thakur

Shahpur (Kangra), Oct 19 (UNI) Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Monday accused the Congress government led by Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu of stalling development works and taking massive loans to allegedly benefit its close associates.
Addressing a felicitation ceremony for newly elected public representatives and a party workers’ conference in Shahpur assembly constituency of Kangra district, Thakur alleged that the state’s debt burden had risen to Rs 1.2 lakh crore, while development activities remained stalled across Himachal Pradesh.
He claimed that only Rs 19,600 crore was borrowed during his five-year tenure as Chief Minister, whereas the state’s debt had increased from Rs 69,600 crore to Rs 1.2 lakh crore under the present government.
“Where is this money going when development works have come to a standstill across the state?” he asked, alleging that corruption was prevalent in government departments and that funds meant for disaster relief were being used to protect the government.
Targeting the Congress government over its financial policies, Thakur said it had initially projected itself as a “popular government” by shutting down institutions established by the previous BJP government and halting development works. He now termed it a “loan-friendly government”, alleging that borrowing had become its principal feature.
The BJP leader also accused the Congress of making false promises during elections and introducing fresh assurances, including the proposed creation of new districts, to divert public attention from its unfulfilled guarantees.
He questioned the government’s approach towards welfare schemes such as Him Care and Sahara, alleging that the schemes launched during the previous BJP regime had been neglected despite their popularity among beneficiaries.
Referring to the recent Panchayati Raj elections, Thakur alleged that the state government had attempted to obstruct the electoral process but was unsuccessful due to the intervention of the Supreme Court and the strength of democratic institutions. He said the results reflected growing public dissatisfaction with the Congress government.
Taking a dig at the Chief Minister’s frequent visits to Delhi, the Leader of Opposition alleged that the government was struggling with internal differences and that factionalism within the Congress had intensified. He also claimed that senior leaders and ministers were being sidelined in party publicity material.
Thakur further alleged that the government had closed public welfare institutions soon after assuming office, thereby affecting development and service delivery. Governments, he said, were elected to work for the people rather than halt development activities.
Highlighting the achievements of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, Thakur said India had emerged as the world’s fourth-largest economy under its leadership. He also referred to the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, claiming that the Centre’s policies had strengthened peace and the rule of law in the region.
Congratulating the newly elected public representatives and welcoming those who had recently joined the BJP, Thakur urged party workers to work collectively for rural development and public welfare. He called upon them to strengthen the organisation in Shahpur and work towards securing a BJP victory in the constituency in the next Assembly election.
Kangra-Chamba MP Dr Rajiv Bhardwaj, former minister Sarveen Chaudhary, BJP district president Sachin Sharma, co-in-charge Sanjeev Sharma, former MLA Vishal Nehria, Zila Parishad president Seema Chaudhary, state co-media in-charge Vishva Chakshu, Mandal presidents Ravi Dutt and Ashok Vashisht, among other party leaders and workers, attended the event.
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Tags: #Sukhu govt has become ‘loan-friendly’ to fill friends’ coffers# alleges Jai Ram Thakur
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