Himachal Suffering from Lack of Coordination and Power Struggles Among Ministers in Sukhu Government: Bikram Thakur

Shimla: Former Industry Minister and BJP MLA from Jaswan Paragpur, Bikram Thakur, criticized the Congress government led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, accusing it of lacking coordination among its ministers. He stated that each minister seems to be playing their own tune, which is harming the state’s development. According to Thakur, the public is witnessing conflicting statements from the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and other ministers, leading to confusion and mismanagement.

Thakur questioned whether the cabinet members even discuss Himachal’s issues in their meetings or if they are merely trying to mislead the public. He pointed out the inconsistency in the government’s approach, as ministers complain about the lack of support from the central government while simultaneously benefitting from central schemes by meeting with ministers like Nitin Gadkari and officials in the Finance Ministry. He added that after criticizing the central government, the Chief Minister and his ministers often post photos on social media expressing satisfaction with the outcomes of their meetings.

Thakur further accused the Sukhu government of not taking advantage of projects initiated during the previous Jai Ram Thakur government. He mentioned that the Chief Minister rejected central assistance for the Medical Device Park, stating that the conditions were not favorable for the state. Thakur sarcastically questioned whether Sukhu was the only economist in Himachal, pointing out that the previous government had brought the project to the state without such objections.

He also raised concerns that the Chief Minister might be deliberately stalling projects in the Deputy Chief Minister’s constituency to prevent him from gaining political credit. Thakur cited the Bulk Drug Park, which could provide employment to at least 50,000 people, as an example of a project being hindered by Sukhu’s reluctance to provide essential infrastructure like electricity and water.

Bikram Thakur concluded by criticizing the state government’s over-reliance on the central government, stating that it has failed to accelerate any development projects on its own. He urged the government to prioritize the state’s interests over internal conflicts, warning that such discord is slowing down important projects that could contribute to a self-reliant India and create job opportunities.