Kangra/Nagrota Bagwan/Dehra, February 8, 2026:
Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur launched a sharp attack on the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government, accusing it of pushing Himachal Pradesh towards economic distress in the name of “system change.”
During his second day of visit to Kangra district, Thakur held meetings with BJP office bearers in Nagrota Bagwan’s Baba Baroh Mandal and later in Dehra, where he discussed organizational strategies and criticized the functioning of the state government. He termed the Chief Minister’s “Vyavastha Parivartan” slogan a hollow model, alleging that the government’s approach of “shutting and changing everything” has led the state to a precarious financial and administrative position.
Thakur said the Chief Minister is attempting to shift blame for his administrative failures onto the Union Budget instead of focusing on the upcoming state budget. He warned that the government is preparing to burden common citizens with heavy taxes to compensate for financial mismanagement, alleging that cabinet-rank posts were distributed among close associates at the cost of the state exchequer.
He further claimed that the government’s pre-budget narrative about financial crisis reflects a lack of development roadmap and is an attempt to justify future failures.
Government Anti-Employee and Anti-State: Thakur
Addressing a training session organized by the BJP’s former employees’ cell in Dehra, Thakur alleged that the Sukhu government is pursuing anti-employee and anti-state policies, leading to widespread dissatisfaction among government employees. He called upon party workers to unite and expose what he described as anti-people policies of the Congress government.
Questions Over “Guarantees”
Raising questions about the Congress party’s election guarantees, Thakur asked whether the Chief Minister was unaware of the state’s financial condition while making tall promises. He said Congress leaders had confidently claimed to have a clear financial plan before coming to power.
“Until a week ago, the Chief Minister was claiming that ‘system change’ would make Himachal the most prosperous state. Was he unaware of the financial situation then?” Thakur questioned. He added that if the Chief Minister was unaware of the state’s financial health even after more than three years in office, it would be an unfortunate situation for the state.
Senior BJP leaders, including former MLAs Arun Kumar Kuka and Hoshiyar Singh, along with employee leader Ghanshyam Sharma, were present during the meetings. Thakur urged party cadres to remain united and prepare for an effective political response to the government’s policies.
