Shimla: Leader of the Opposition and former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Congress government led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, accusing it of pushing the state into an unprecedented financial crisis through record borrowing while failing to deliver on development and public welfare.
Speaking during a television programme in Shimla, Thakur alleged that all governments in Himachal Pradesh from Independence until 2022 collectively borrowed around ₹69,500 crore, whereas the present Congress government has borrowed nearly ₹45,000 crore in just four years despite repeatedly claiming to bring about a “system change.” He claimed that if the government completes its tenure, the borrowing figure could cross ₹60,000 crore.
Questioning the government’s financial management, Thakur asked where the borrowed money had gone when development works across the state had virtually come to a standstill. He alleged that nearly 2,000 public institutions opened during the previous BJP government had been shut down instead of being strengthened, leaving people without essential services.
The former Chief Minister said Himachal Pradesh belongs to every resident of the state and not just the ruling Congress party. He accused the government of making hasty and ill-conceived decisions that have adversely affected the state’s economy and governance. According to him, the Congress came to power on the basis of “false guarantees,” but has failed to fulfil even one of its major promises.
Thakur further alleged that instead of launching new welfare initiatives, the government had either discontinued or weakened several schemes started by the previous BJP government by withholding financial support, thereby denying benefits to the people.
Highlighting the BJP’s role as the opposition, Thakur said the party had consistently opposed what he termed anti-people decisions both inside the Assembly and through public protests, forcing the government to reverse several decisions. Rejecting speculation of factionalism within the BJP, he maintained that the party remained united and functioned under a disciplined organisational structure.
He, however, claimed that Congress was facing internal divisions, which, according to him, were reflected in the recent urban local body and Panchayati Raj elections. Thakur asserted that the BJP secured more than 70 per cent of elected representatives, while Congress managed to win only one of four municipal corporations and one out of 12 Zila Parishads, indicating growing public dissatisfaction with the ruling party.
In a sharp political remark, Thakur claimed that if the current trend continued, the Congress legislative party would be reduced to “a single Alto car” after the 2027 Assembly elections.
The Leader of the Opposition also criticised the state government over the condition of healthcare services in Himachal Pradesh. Referring to reports of children receiving surgery appointments nearly a year later at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, due to a shortage of equipment, and patients waiting for nearly a month for MRI scans at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, he said these reflected the government’s failure to provide timely medical care.
“There is constant talk of building an international-standard health system, but the reality is that surgeries are delayed by a year and diagnostic tests take a month. Poor patients are either forced to wait in pain or spend thousands of rupees in private hospitals,” Thakur said, adding that the situation exposed the widening gap between the government’s claims and the condition of public healthcare.
