Tag: Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

  • Himachal Crisis Live Updates: BJP Delegation Meets Governor; Will Sukhu-Led Congress Government Fall? |

    In Himachal Pradesh, the political turmoil is being claimed by the BJP. This morning, a delegation of BJP MLAs including Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur met Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla to make him aware of the developments that took place in the last few days. It includes denial of cut motions and division voting on the finance bill and cross-voting by the Congress MLAs in the Rajya Sabha election. Despite claiming the support of around 45 MLAs including independents, the Congress got just 34 votes. A cross-voting by the Congress and independent MLAs saw the BJP tally going up to 34 despite having just 25 seats. 

    08.50 AM: Watch: BJP Delegation led by LoP Jairam Thakur Meets Himachal Governor

    #WATCH | Shimla: Himachal Pradesh LoP Jairam Thakur along with BJP’s legislative party met Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla at Raj Bhawan. pic.twitter.com/ZmnpXI2mxm
    — ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2024

    BJP Meets Governor

    BJP has claimed that the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government in the state has lost its majority. Before meeting the governor today, former CM ahd LoP Jairam Thakur said, “We will apprise the Governor about what happened in the Assembly. We demanded division during the vote on the financial bill, it wasn’t allowed. The House was adjourned twice. This is not right, it has never happened in Himachal Pradesh. The government has lost the moral right to stay in power.”

    Number Game

    In the 2022 Himachal Pradesh assembly elections, the Congress emerged victorious with 40 seats out of the 68-member house. Additionally, the party secured the backing of three independent MLAs.  The majority mark is 35. The BJP, on the other hand, attained 25 seats. There is speculation that if Congress loses the support of nine MLAs, its count would decrease to 31 MLAs.

    Options With Congress

    If the BJP demands a trust vote, the Assembly speaker may disqualify the rebel Congress MLAs as they not only violated party’s whip but also indulged in anti-party activity by cross voting. In that case, the majority mark will come down benefitting the Congress. 

    Congress MLAs In Panchkula

    After yesterday’s cross-voting, many Congress MLAs are in Panchkula along with some BJP MLAs. Zee News TV also reported that many Congress MLAs are upset with CM Sukhu and have urged the party’s high command to change the Chief Minister. 

    Congress Rushes Observers

    After the cross-voting led to the defeat of the Congress candidate in the Rajya Sabha, the grand old party rushed two observers – Bhupinder Singh Hooda and DK Shivakumar – to Shimla. They will meet the MLAs and the Chief Minister to bring the situation under control and prevent the collapse of the Sukhu government.

  • CM Sukhu-led Congress government may topple in Himachal, claims BJP’s Jairam Thakur

    Himachal Pradesh Leader of Opposition and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jairam Thakur on Tuesday claimed that the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government is in a minority in the state.

    When asked if the State BJP would demand a floor test, Thakur said, “The budget will be presented tomorrow. We will discuss the budget tomorrow and then we will see the situation there. But I can see that the government has lost the majority.”

    Voting is underway for a high-octane Rajya Sabha election battle in Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday, and the BJP has exuded hope in its candidate winning the poll.67 out of the total 68 legislators have exercised their votes in the ongoing Rajya Sabha elections in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. Sudarshan Singh Babloo, Congress MLA, has not come so far due to illness. He was hospitalised.

    There is fierce competition in Himachal Pradesh for the sole Rajya Sabha seat between Congress candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi and the BJP’s Harsh Mahajan.

    Harsh Mahajan is a three-time Congress MLA and former minister who resigned from the party in September 2022 ahead of the Assembly polls and joined the BJP.Notably, the Congress has a clear majority with 40 out of 68 MLAs and the support of three independent MLAs. Despite the fact that the BJP, with 25 MLAs, is far behind in the number game, it has forced a contest by fielding Mahajan against Singhvi.Earlier on Sunday, the Congress issued a whip to its MLAs to vote for party candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

    Following the whip, all the candidates will have to show the ballot to the authorised agent, who can declare a vote invalid if any MLA refuses to show the ballot.

    On Monday, the BJP nominee complained to the Chief Election Commissioner, saying that the Congress has issued a three-line whip to its MLAs for the polls, which he said was unethical.

    “Such a whip is not only unethical but also against the conducting of elections to the Rajya Sabha as it will affect the decision-making ability of the MLAs,” Harsh Mahajan said in his complaint.

    After the complaint was filed, the Congress hit out at BJP State Minister Harsh Wardhan Chauhan, who said that the charges to the poll body were a result of ‘frustration’ in the BJP.

    Harsh Wardhan Chauhan, the Himachal Pradesh Minister, alleged that the BJP is planning “horse trading”.

    “This is the BJP’s frustration because the number of MLAs is not in favour of the BJP. 40 MLAs are with Congress, and 3 are independent. The BJP only has 25 MLAs. …even without numbers, BJP is fielding their candidate, which means they’re planning horse trading…” Chauhan said.

    Voting for 56 Rajya Sabha seats from 15 states, which are falling vacant in April, is being held on Tuesday.

    The term for Rajya Sabha MPs is six years, and elections are held after every two years for 33 per cent of the seats. Currently, the Rajya Sabha has a strength of 245 members.

    The Rajya Sabha MPs are elected by the MLAs in an indirect election through the system of proportional representation. They are mostly foregone conclusions, with elections being held unopposed and all party candidates sailing through.

    (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)

  • Himachal CM Sukhu announces Rs 4,500-crore package to aid disaster-hit people

    By PTI

    SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday announced a special package of Rs 4,500 crore, including Rs 1,000 crore under MGNREGA, to aid people affected by rain-related disasters during the July 7 to September 30 period.

    Of the total package, Rs 3,500 crore is for disaster-affected people and Rs 1,000 crore is to be used under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for the construction of retaining walls, he told reporters.

    Sukhu said aid from the special package will be given irrespective of income limit to all affected people whose houses, agricultural or any other types of land or crops have been damaged.

    The chief minister said 3,500 houses were completely destroyed and 13,000 partially damaged during the period and that his government has so far spent Rs 1,850 crore from its own funds for temporary restoration of services and Rs 1,051 crore would be released soon.

    READ MORE | Centre’s Rs 200 crore aid for Himachal Pradesh rain relief not enough: CM Sukhvinder Singh

    Relief to people whose houses have been completely destroyed has been increased by the state government to Rs 7 lakh, irrespective of whether they were kutcha or pucca houses, he said, adding that free electricity and water connections are also being provided in addition to cement at government rates.

    The relief for partially damaged houses has been increased from Rs 4,000 to Rs 1 lakh, shops and dhabas from Rs 6,500 to Rs 1 lakh and for cowsheds from Rs 3,000 to Rs 50,000, the chief minister told news persons.

    Aid for loss of agriculture and horticulture crops has been increased from Rs 3,615 per hectare (12.5 bigha) to Rs 10,000 per Bigha, he said.

    People whose lands have been washed away or rendered unfit for construction will be allotted 135 square yards of land in rural areas and 90 square yards in urban areas, Sukhu said, adding that people whose belongings have been completely destroyed would get Rs 50,000 as relief instead of Rs 2,500.

    The chief minister also accused the BJP in Himachal Pradesh of playing politics during the calamity.

    He said the party did not support the government resolution seeking to declare the calamity as a national disaster and announce a special relief package of Rs 12,000 crore.

    READ MORE | Rise above politics to help flood-hit people in Himachal Pradesh: Priyanka tells Centre

    Sukhu added that except for funds under disaster management, no additional relief from the Centre has been received so far.

    The Himachal chief minister said his government had announced special packages to disaster-hit people on its own in spite of a financial crunch.

    On August 18, the chief minister declared the massive damage caused by heavy rains as a state calamity.

    The Himachal Pradesh assembly on September 20 adopted a resolution by voice vote, urging the Union government to declare the recent calamity in the state as a national disaster and announce a special relief package of Rs 12,000 crore.

    More than 290 people died in rain-related incidents since the onset of the monsoon on June 24, and as many as 168 landslides and 72 flash flood incidents were reported.

    ALSO READ | Himachal has not seen such ‘widespread heavy rains’ in 50 years: CM Sukhu

    SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday announced a special package of Rs 4,500 crore, including Rs 1,000 crore under MGNREGA, to aid people affected by rain-related disasters during the July 7 to September 30 period.

    Of the total package, Rs 3,500 crore is for disaster-affected people and Rs 1,000 crore is to be used under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for the construction of retaining walls, he told reporters.

    Sukhu said aid from the special package will be given irrespective of income limit to all affected people whose houses, agricultural or any other types of land or crops have been damaged.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The chief minister said 3,500 houses were completely destroyed and 13,000 partially damaged during the period and that his government has so far spent Rs 1,850 crore from its own funds for temporary restoration of services and Rs 1,051 crore would be released soon.

    READ MORE | Centre’s Rs 200 crore aid for Himachal Pradesh rain relief not enough: CM Sukhvinder Singh

    Relief to people whose houses have been completely destroyed has been increased by the state government to Rs 7 lakh, irrespective of whether they were kutcha or pucca houses, he said, adding that free electricity and water connections are also being provided in addition to cement at government rates.

    The relief for partially damaged houses has been increased from Rs 4,000 to Rs 1 lakh, shops and dhabas from Rs 6,500 to Rs 1 lakh and for cowsheds from Rs 3,000 to Rs 50,000, the chief minister told news persons.

    Aid for loss of agriculture and horticulture crops has been increased from Rs 3,615 per hectare (12.5 bigha) to Rs 10,000 per Bigha, he said.

    People whose lands have been washed away or rendered unfit for construction will be allotted 135 square yards of land in rural areas and 90 square yards in urban areas, Sukhu said, adding that people whose belongings have been completely destroyed would get Rs 50,000 as relief instead of Rs 2,500.

    The chief minister also accused the BJP in Himachal Pradesh of playing politics during the calamity.

    He said the party did not support the government resolution seeking to declare the calamity as a national disaster and announce a special relief package of Rs 12,000 crore.

    READ MORE | Rise above politics to help flood-hit people in Himachal Pradesh: Priyanka tells Centre

    Sukhu added that except for funds under disaster management, no additional relief from the Centre has been received so far.

    The Himachal chief minister said his government had announced special packages to disaster-hit people on its own in spite of a financial crunch.

    On August 18, the chief minister declared the massive damage caused by heavy rains as a state calamity.

    The Himachal Pradesh assembly on September 20 adopted a resolution by voice vote, urging the Union government to declare the recent calamity in the state as a national disaster and announce a special relief package of Rs 12,000 crore.

    More than 290 people died in rain-related incidents since the onset of the monsoon on June 24, and as many as 168 landslides and 72 flash flood incidents were reported.

    ALSO READ | Himachal has not seen such ‘widespread heavy rains’ in 50 years: CM Sukhu

  • Himachal urges centre to enhance state share in hydropower projects from 12 to 15 per cent

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: The Himachal Pradesh government urged the Centre to enhance the state’s share of hydropower projects from 12 to 15 per cent.

    Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in a meeting with Union Minister of Power, New and Renewable Energy, RK Singh late Wednesday evening urged to enhance the state’s share in the power projects which were commissioned 25 years back having completed their loan repayments.

    Singh was apprised that around 12,000 MW of hydropower potential in the state was yet to be harnessed.

    “Hydropower development is the key engine to the economic growth of Himachal Pradesh, as it makes a direct and significant contribution to the economy in terms of revenue generation, employment opportunities and enhancing the quality of life,” Sukhu said.

    Besides, the state also has ample scope for setting up solar projects, said Sukhu.

    Himachal Pradesh has now relaxed the rules and procedures for the investors and Deputy Commissioners have been empowered to accord permission. The state government is committed to accord all necessary permissions in a time-bound manner, especially in the energy sector and to ease the process for applying.

    Sukhu also added that the state government is willing to make agreements with power projects in stages.

    The first part will be for the period of loan repayment and the second part will be after the loan repayment is over from the project owner’s side.

    Sukhu also raised the issue of the Luhri power project being executed by SJVNL and advocated for a fresh agreement for enhancing the state share as the project is fully viable.

    He said that the Supreme Court has passed its verdict in favour of the State Government pertaining to payment of arrears and its share by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).

    He stated that BBMB should be directed to pay the arrears to the State Government immediately. He also apprised that the lease period of the Shanan project was now over and it will be taken over by the State Government for further execution soon.

    Sukhu said that the Union Minister has assured with regard to setting up of Green Energy Plant in the Spiti area of the state on the analogy of Leh.

    The e-charging stations for electric vehicles will also be set up throughout the state so that the target of becoming a Green Energy State by 2025 could be achieved. For setting up of e-charging stations, the state government will provide land and power.

    Detailed project reports for the transmission line will also be prepared to evacuate the green energy. He told that the state is looking forward to the generation of green hydrogen adding that the Himachal Pradesh is the only state which is power surplus state. The state will execute the power project on a revenue-sharing basis.

    Meanwhile, in a related development Sukhu after holding a meeting with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said that the agency will fund in Green Hydrogen, Tunneling, Dairy and Sewerage sectors.

    CHANDIGARH: The Himachal Pradesh government urged the Centre to enhance the state’s share of hydropower projects from 12 to 15 per cent.

    Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in a meeting with Union Minister of Power, New and Renewable Energy, RK Singh late Wednesday evening urged to enhance the state’s share in the power projects which were commissioned 25 years back having completed their loan repayments.

    Singh was apprised that around 12,000 MW of hydropower potential in the state was yet to be harnessed.

    “Hydropower development is the key engine to the economic growth of Himachal Pradesh, as it makes a direct and significant contribution to the economy in terms of revenue generation, employment opportunities and enhancing the quality of life,” Sukhu said.

    Besides, the state also has ample scope for setting up solar projects, said Sukhu.

    Himachal Pradesh has now relaxed the rules and procedures for the investors and Deputy Commissioners have been empowered to accord permission. The state government is committed to accord all necessary permissions in a time-bound manner, especially in the energy sector and to ease the process for applying.

    Sukhu also added that the state government is willing to make agreements with power projects in stages.

    The first part will be for the period of loan repayment and the second part will be after the loan repayment is over from the project owner’s side.

    Sukhu also raised the issue of the Luhri power project being executed by SJVNL and advocated for a fresh agreement for enhancing the state share as the project is fully viable.

    He said that the Supreme Court has passed its verdict in favour of the State Government pertaining to payment of arrears and its share by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).

    He stated that BBMB should be directed to pay the arrears to the State Government immediately. He also apprised that the lease period of the Shanan project was now over and it will be taken over by the State Government for further execution soon.

    Sukhu said that the Union Minister has assured with regard to setting up of Green Energy Plant in the Spiti area of the state on the analogy of Leh.

    The e-charging stations for electric vehicles will also be set up throughout the state so that the target of becoming a Green Energy State by 2025 could be achieved. For setting up of e-charging stations, the state government will provide land and power.

    Detailed project reports for the transmission line will also be prepared to evacuate the green energy. He told that the state is looking forward to the generation of green hydrogen adding that the Himachal Pradesh is the only state which is power surplus state. The state will execute the power project on a revenue-sharing basis.

    Meanwhile, in a related development Sukhu after holding a meeting with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said that the agency will fund in Green Hydrogen, Tunneling, Dairy and Sewerage sectors.

  • Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu seeks Centre’s help for weather observatories

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH:  The Himachal Pradesh government has urged the Centre to set up weather observatories in the state and advocates for a hi-tech seismic laboratory-cum-data analysis centre and doppler radars to strengthen disaster response. Interestingly there are 17,120 landslide-prone sites in the state, and as many as 675 such areas are situated near critical infrastructural projects and habitations.

    Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday met Union MoS, Science and Technology, Space and Atomic Energy, Jitendra Singh in Delhi and held deliberations on agriculture, horticulture and health sectors by using technologies. 

    Keeping in view the vulnerability of the state to earthquakes, Sukhu requested for establishing a hi-tech seismic laboratory-cum data analysis centre in Kangra and Hamirpur seismic zone. He apprised the Union minister  that as the state was prone to natural calamities, there was a need for setting up doppler radars in two tribal districts of Kinnaur and Lahaul Spiti besides establishing weather observatories at Hamirpur, Chamba, Nalagarh, Keylong and Kaza regions along-with a data centre in Hamirpur district.

    CHANDIGARH:  The Himachal Pradesh government has urged the Centre to set up weather observatories in the state and advocates for a hi-tech seismic laboratory-cum-data analysis centre and doppler radars to strengthen disaster response. Interestingly there are 17,120 landslide-prone sites in the state, and as many as 675 such areas are situated near critical infrastructural projects and habitations.

    Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday met Union MoS, Science and Technology, Space and Atomic Energy, Jitendra Singh in Delhi and held deliberations on agriculture, horticulture and health sectors by using technologies. 

    Keeping in view the vulnerability of the state to earthquakes, Sukhu requested for establishing a hi-tech seismic laboratory-cum data analysis centre in Kangra and Hamirpur seismic zone. He apprised the Union minister  that as the state was prone to natural calamities, there was a need for setting up doppler radars in two tribal districts of Kinnaur and Lahaul Spiti besides establishing weather observatories at Hamirpur, Chamba, Nalagarh, Keylong and Kaza regions along-with a data centre in Hamirpur district.

  • Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu tests positive for coronavirus

    By PTI

    SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has tested positive for coronavirus, a spokesperson of the state government said here on Monday.

    He said the chief minister was scheduled to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday, but the meeting has now been postponed.

    Sukhu was found positive in the national capital during the routine test mandatory before meeting the prime minister, the spokesperson said.

    The CM is asymptomatic and as a precautionary measure has quarantined himself and all his engagements have been postponed, he added.

    Sukhu along with deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, state Congress Chief Pratibha Singh and 38 newly elected MLAs joined Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Rajasthan on December 16.

    Sukhu has been in New Delhi and met several Congress leaders, including AICC in-charge for Himachal Pradesh Rajiv Shukla and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, over the last few days.

    SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has tested positive for coronavirus, a spokesperson of the state government said here on Monday.

    He said the chief minister was scheduled to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday, but the meeting has now been postponed.

    Sukhu was found positive in the national capital during the routine test mandatory before meeting the prime minister, the spokesperson said.

    The CM is asymptomatic and as a precautionary measure has quarantined himself and all his engagements have been postponed, he added.

    Sukhu along with deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, state Congress Chief Pratibha Singh and 38 newly elected MLAs joined Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Rajasthan on December 16.

    Sukhu has been in New Delhi and met several Congress leaders, including AICC in-charge for Himachal Pradesh Rajiv Shukla and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, over the last few days.

  • No infighting within Himachal Congress, ‘conflict’ was for CM post: Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: There is no infighting within the Himachal Pradesh Congress and the “conflict” was only for chief ministership as there were three-four claimants, newly sworn-in CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has said, adding if something were wrong, there would have been a “Rajasthan-like situation”.

    He asserted that no Congress legislator in the state would defect to the BJP and the party’s government was committed to work for the people and would fulfil the promise of restoring the old pension scheme for government employees in the first cabinet meeting.

    In an exclusive interview with PTI, Sukhu said, “We have spoken to the finance secretary. Under a strategy we know from where we have to generate money and where we have to invest. We have done the work on introducing the old pension scheme and we will introduce it in the first cabinet meeting.”

    Asked about the expansion of his cabinet, he said it will happen soon and denied reports about some MLAs lobbying for ministerial berths.

    After the Congress wrested power from the BJP in the hill state winning 40 of the 68 assembly seats, the party picked Sukhu, 58, as its chief minister over some other claimants to the post, including state party chief Pratibha Singh and Mukesh Agnihotri.

    Sukhu, a four-time MLA from Nadaun in Hamirpur district and the son of a bus driver, was sworn in as the chief minister on December 11.

    Agnihotri took oath as the deputy chief minister.

    The chief minister dismissed reports about infighting within the Congress state unit, but admitted that there was jockeying for the post of CM.

    “Conflict was for post, it’s not party conflict. Three-four people were willing to occupy the post of chief minister. You can see till now we have not done the cabinet expansion. If something were wrong, a Rajasthan-like situation would have occurred,” he said.

    The Congress government in Rajasthan led by Ashok Gehlot faced a rebellion by his then deputy and state party president Sachin Pilot and some other MLAs in 2020.

    Though the Congress managed to defuse the situation then, the two factions have been at loggerheads ever since.

    Sukhu targeted the opposition BJP over reports that some Congress MLAs may join hands with it.

    “No Congress member will defect from the party,” he asserted.

    He said the people of the state voted against malgovernance of the BJP.

    He said the country is facing various issues such as unemployment and inflation but the BJP is trying to divert people’s attention from the core issue by using various tactics including making mockery of Rahul Gandhi’s speech.

    He hailed the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra and said the foot march aims to unite people and remove hate that is being spread in society in the name of religion and caste.

    Sukhu credited Congress workers for the victory of the party and praised party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for framing an effective campaigning strategy.

    The chief minister said his government was committed to work for the welfare of the people and would fulfil the “10 guarantees” made to the people in the run-up to the November 12 assembly elections.

    The poll results were announced on December 8.

    In its manifesto for the assembly elections, the Congress made 10 promises such as restoration of the old pension scheme, 300 units of free power, a Rs 680-crore Startup fund, one lakh jobs, Rs 1,500 per month for women aged between 18 and 60 years, and free medical treatment in every village through mobile clinics.

    NEW DELHI: There is no infighting within the Himachal Pradesh Congress and the “conflict” was only for chief ministership as there were three-four claimants, newly sworn-in CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has said, adding if something were wrong, there would have been a “Rajasthan-like situation”.

    He asserted that no Congress legislator in the state would defect to the BJP and the party’s government was committed to work for the people and would fulfil the promise of restoring the old pension scheme for government employees in the first cabinet meeting.

    In an exclusive interview with PTI, Sukhu said, “We have spoken to the finance secretary. Under a strategy we know from where we have to generate money and where we have to invest. We have done the work on introducing the old pension scheme and we will introduce it in the first cabinet meeting.”

    Asked about the expansion of his cabinet, he said it will happen soon and denied reports about some MLAs lobbying for ministerial berths.

    After the Congress wrested power from the BJP in the hill state winning 40 of the 68 assembly seats, the party picked Sukhu, 58, as its chief minister over some other claimants to the post, including state party chief Pratibha Singh and Mukesh Agnihotri.

    Sukhu, a four-time MLA from Nadaun in Hamirpur district and the son of a bus driver, was sworn in as the chief minister on December 11.

    Agnihotri took oath as the deputy chief minister.

    The chief minister dismissed reports about infighting within the Congress state unit, but admitted that there was jockeying for the post of CM.

    “Conflict was for post, it’s not party conflict. Three-four people were willing to occupy the post of chief minister. You can see till now we have not done the cabinet expansion. If something were wrong, a Rajasthan-like situation would have occurred,” he said.

    The Congress government in Rajasthan led by Ashok Gehlot faced a rebellion by his then deputy and state party president Sachin Pilot and some other MLAs in 2020.

    Though the Congress managed to defuse the situation then, the two factions have been at loggerheads ever since.

    Sukhu targeted the opposition BJP over reports that some Congress MLAs may join hands with it.

    “No Congress member will defect from the party,” he asserted.

    He said the people of the state voted against malgovernance of the BJP.

    He said the country is facing various issues such as unemployment and inflation but the BJP is trying to divert people’s attention from the core issue by using various tactics including making mockery of Rahul Gandhi’s speech.

    He hailed the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra and said the foot march aims to unite people and remove hate that is being spread in society in the name of religion and caste.

    Sukhu credited Congress workers for the victory of the party and praised party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for framing an effective campaigning strategy.

    The chief minister said his government was committed to work for the welfare of the people and would fulfil the “10 guarantees” made to the people in the run-up to the November 12 assembly elections.

    The poll results were announced on December 8.

    In its manifesto for the assembly elections, the Congress made 10 promises such as restoration of the old pension scheme, 300 units of free power, a Rs 680-crore Startup fund, one lakh jobs, Rs 1,500 per month for women aged between 18 and 60 years, and free medical treatment in every village through mobile clinics.

  • New CM Sukhvinder, his deputy Mukesh brace for a bumpy road in Himachal Pradesh

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The decisive move on new leadership in Himachal Pradesh notwithstanding, the Congress has its task cut out in the hill state as it faces the twin challenge of keeping factional fighting at bay and delivering on ambitious poll promises.

    Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and his deputy will be bracing for a bumpy ride ahead, with the first hurdle being the cabinet formation that reflects the interests of competing pressure groups in the party, principally the one led by incumbent state chief Pratibha Singh.

    Allocation of portfolios would be the immediate vexatious issue for the party, with supporters of Virbhadra Singh already feeling sidelined after the elevation of the late chief minister’s professed rival Sukhu.

    Virbhadra Singh’s wife Pratibha Singh may have made all the right noises to start with, but it remains to be seen what bargain she strikes in order to satisfy her camp.

    The buzz is that she has sought a meaty portfolio for her son Vikramaditya Singh, who returned to the assembly from Shimla Rural. Sources in the party said the top leadership has agreed to make Vikramaditya Singh a senior minister in the state cabinet.

    Organisational unity challenge apart, the Congress government in the state would need to hit the ground running and deliver on the manifesto promises, which appeared to have struck a chord with the voters.ALSO READ | Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu: A fighter who rose through the ranks

    The uphill task would be to generate finances for the range of promises which, all put together, would entail an expenditure of around Rs 10,000 crore annually on the part of the state government.

    How Sukhu and his team achieve this will be closely watched considering Himachal’s massive debt burden of around Rs 65,000 crore till March 31, 2002.

    With the state’s finances already under stress, the CAG has also warned that the state government utilised 74.11 per cent of borrowed funds for the repayment of previous borrowings (principal) and 25.89 per cent for capital expenditure.

    As per the CAG’s latest report tabled in the state assembly for 2020-21, around 39 per cent of the debt (amounting to around Rs 25,000 crore) is payable in the next two to five years.

    Implementing the lofty promises made by Congress is going to be a challenging task, including providing one lakh jobs in the first year and a total of five lakh jobs in the five-year term. The immediate task would, however, be to fill the state’s 62,000 vacancies in various government departments, which will also push up the employee cost.

    The promise of giving Rs 1500 to every adult woman in the state would entail Rs 5,000 crore expense annually. Coupled with that the promise of free power of up to 300 units to every household will entail expenses of another Rs 2,500 crore annually while catering to around 15 lakh households, the sources said.

    As per the budget estimates for 2022-23, the total receipts and cash expenditure are estimated at Rs 50,300.41 crore and Rs 51,364.76 crore respectively. The Revenue Deficit in 2022-23 for Himachal is likely to be Rs 3,903.49 crore and the Fiscal Deficit is expected to be Rs 9,602.36 crore.

    The restoration of the old pension scheme, which has been the biggest promise that helped the party romp home to power, is also a challenging task considering that other Congress-ruled states of Rajasthan and Chattisgarh have not been able to implement them.ALSO READ | How a battered and bruised Congress found love in Shimla

    Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured that there will be no hindrance to the development of Himachal Pradesh even though the BJP lost power there, getting funds liberally from the BJP-ruled Centre may also be difficult for the Congress.

    On Saturday, Sukhu said all stakeholders will be taken on board while taking important decisions. “We want to change the system. Give me some time. We need to work hard to bring in a new system and new thinking,” he said.

    The Congress made several ambitious promises ranging from a free once-in-four-year pilgrimage for all elderly to a dedicated budget for the promotion of religious tourism in every assembly constituency, as the manifesto included a stand-alone segment titled – “Devsthan and Tirth Yatras” (Temples and Pilgrimages).

    The loftiest promise in this section is a pledge of free pilgrimage to any shrine of choice for all elderly in the state. Congress promised to foot the bill for such a trip every four years. It included a provision for attendants to accompany the elderly on such trips.

    A “Dev Bhumi Vikas Nidhi”, a fund that entails dedicating budgeting for each assembly constituency to promote religious tourism, has also been promised.

    The Congress had made ten promises to the people of Himachal Pradesh which include the restoration of the old pension scheme in its first meeting of the state cabinet, besides giving Rs 1500 to all adult women in the state.

    It also sought to woo the poor by promising 300 units of free power to all households and five lakh jobs to the youth. The party also pledged to form a Rs 680-crore StartUp fund that would include Rs 10 crore for each of the 68 assembly constituencies to provide self-employment opportunities to youths.

    The 52-page ‘Pratigya Patra – Himachal, Himachaliyat aur Hum’ also promised a special budget to MLAs to promote religious tourism, one job per family to those affected by power projects and urban MGNREGA jobs to the unemployed.

    NEW DELHI: The decisive move on new leadership in Himachal Pradesh notwithstanding, the Congress has its task cut out in the hill state as it faces the twin challenge of keeping factional fighting at bay and delivering on ambitious poll promises.

    Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and his deputy will be bracing for a bumpy ride ahead, with the first hurdle being the cabinet formation that reflects the interests of competing pressure groups in the party, principally the one led by incumbent state chief Pratibha Singh.

    Allocation of portfolios would be the immediate vexatious issue for the party, with supporters of Virbhadra Singh already feeling sidelined after the elevation of the late chief minister’s professed rival Sukhu.

    Virbhadra Singh’s wife Pratibha Singh may have made all the right noises to start with, but it remains to be seen what bargain she strikes in order to satisfy her camp.

    The buzz is that she has sought a meaty portfolio for her son Vikramaditya Singh, who returned to the assembly from Shimla Rural. Sources in the party said the top leadership has agreed to make Vikramaditya Singh a senior minister in the state cabinet.

    Organisational unity challenge apart, the Congress government in the state would need to hit the ground running and deliver on the manifesto promises, which appeared to have struck a chord with the voters.ALSO READ | Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu: A fighter who rose through the ranks

    The uphill task would be to generate finances for the range of promises which, all put together, would entail an expenditure of around Rs 10,000 crore annually on the part of the state government.

    How Sukhu and his team achieve this will be closely watched considering Himachal’s massive debt burden of around Rs 65,000 crore till March 31, 2002.

    With the state’s finances already under stress, the CAG has also warned that the state government utilised 74.11 per cent of borrowed funds for the repayment of previous borrowings (principal) and 25.89 per cent for capital expenditure.

    As per the CAG’s latest report tabled in the state assembly for 2020-21, around 39 per cent of the debt (amounting to around Rs 25,000 crore) is payable in the next two to five years.

    Implementing the lofty promises made by Congress is going to be a challenging task, including providing one lakh jobs in the first year and a total of five lakh jobs in the five-year term. The immediate task would, however, be to fill the state’s 62,000 vacancies in various government departments, which will also push up the employee cost.

    The promise of giving Rs 1500 to every adult woman in the state would entail Rs 5,000 crore expense annually. Coupled with that the promise of free power of up to 300 units to every household will entail expenses of another Rs 2,500 crore annually while catering to around 15 lakh households, the sources said.

    As per the budget estimates for 2022-23, the total receipts and cash expenditure are estimated at Rs 50,300.41 crore and Rs 51,364.76 crore respectively. The Revenue Deficit in 2022-23 for Himachal is likely to be Rs 3,903.49 crore and the Fiscal Deficit is expected to be Rs 9,602.36 crore.

    The restoration of the old pension scheme, which has been the biggest promise that helped the party romp home to power, is also a challenging task considering that other Congress-ruled states of Rajasthan and Chattisgarh have not been able to implement them.ALSO READ | How a battered and bruised Congress found love in Shimla

    Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured that there will be no hindrance to the development of Himachal Pradesh even though the BJP lost power there, getting funds liberally from the BJP-ruled Centre may also be difficult for the Congress.

    On Saturday, Sukhu said all stakeholders will be taken on board while taking important decisions. “We want to change the system. Give me some time. We need to work hard to bring in a new system and new thinking,” he said.

    The Congress made several ambitious promises ranging from a free once-in-four-year pilgrimage for all elderly to a dedicated budget for the promotion of religious tourism in every assembly constituency, as the manifesto included a stand-alone segment titled – “Devsthan and Tirth Yatras” (Temples and Pilgrimages).

    The loftiest promise in this section is a pledge of free pilgrimage to any shrine of choice for all elderly in the state. Congress promised to foot the bill for such a trip every four years. It included a provision for attendants to accompany the elderly on such trips.

    A “Dev Bhumi Vikas Nidhi”, a fund that entails dedicating budgeting for each assembly constituency to promote religious tourism, has also been promised.

    The Congress had made ten promises to the people of Himachal Pradesh which include the restoration of the old pension scheme in its first meeting of the state cabinet, besides giving Rs 1500 to all adult women in the state.

    It also sought to woo the poor by promising 300 units of free power to all households and five lakh jobs to the youth. The party also pledged to form a Rs 680-crore StartUp fund that would include Rs 10 crore for each of the 68 assembly constituencies to provide self-employment opportunities to youths.

    The 52-page ‘Pratigya Patra – Himachal, Himachaliyat aur Hum’ also promised a special budget to MLAs to promote religious tourism, one job per family to those affected by power projects and urban MGNREGA jobs to the unemployed.

  • Himachal: Sukhvinder Sukhu sworn in as CM, Mukesh Agnihotri takes oath as Dy CM

    By Online Desk

    SHIMLA: Congress leader Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu became the 15th Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, while fellow party leader Mukesh Agnihotri took oath as his deputy at a ceremony held in Shimla on Sunday.

    The duo were sworn in by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. 

    Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and party President Mallikharjun Kharge were all present at the ceremony. 

    Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Chhatisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda were also in attendance at the swearing-in ceremony.

    Sukhu, a grassroots politician who rose through the ranks, is a four-time MLA from Nadaun and the head of the election campaign committee in the recently concluded assembly elections which saw Congress return to power in the hill state. ALSO READ | Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu: A fighter who rose through the ranks

    Meanwhile, his deputy,  Mukesh Agnihotri is a five-time MLA from Haroli and the leader of the opposition in the outgoing Himachal Assembly.

    Sukhu said that he is happy that despite being from an ordinary family he is going to be the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh.

    “I am happy that I am going to be CM despite being from an ordinary family. I am thankful to the Congress party and the Gandhi family for giving me this opportunity. My mother never stopped me from being in politics. I have reached here today because of her blessings,” said Sukhu.

    The Congress wrested power from the BJP in the hill state winning 40 of the 68 assembly seats. The polling was held on November 12 and the results were declared last Thursday.

    Several leaders including state Congress chief Pratibha Singh, the wife of former Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, and their son Vikramaditya Singh, who also won his election, were also in contention for the CM and Dy CM’s post.

    This was the first state election since the demise of Virbhadra Singh in July 2021.ALSO READ | How a battered and bruised Congress found love in Shimla

    (With inputs from ANI)

    SHIMLA: Congress leader Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu became the 15th Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, while fellow party leader Mukesh Agnihotri took oath as his deputy at a ceremony held in Shimla on Sunday.

    The duo were sworn in by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. 

    Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and party President Mallikharjun Kharge were all present at the ceremony. 

    Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Chhatisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda were also in attendance at the swearing-in ceremony.

    Sukhu, a grassroots politician who rose through the ranks, is a four-time MLA from Nadaun and the head of the election campaign committee in the recently concluded assembly elections which saw Congress return to power in the hill state. ALSO READ | Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu: A fighter who rose through the ranks

    Meanwhile, his deputy,  Mukesh Agnihotri is a five-time MLA from Haroli and the leader of the opposition in the outgoing Himachal Assembly.

    Sukhu said that he is happy that despite being from an ordinary family he is going to be the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh.

    “I am happy that I am going to be CM despite being from an ordinary family. I am thankful to the Congress party and the Gandhi family for giving me this opportunity. My mother never stopped me from being in politics. I have reached here today because of her blessings,” said Sukhu.

    The Congress wrested power from the BJP in the hill state winning 40 of the 68 assembly seats. The polling was held on November 12 and the results were declared last Thursday.

    Several leaders including state Congress chief Pratibha Singh, the wife of former Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, and their son Vikramaditya Singh, who also won his election, were also in contention for the CM and Dy CM’s post.

    This was the first state election since the demise of Virbhadra Singh in July 2021.ALSO READ | How a battered and bruised Congress found love in Shimla

    (With inputs from ANI)

  • Himachal: Congress picks Sukhvinder Sukhu as CM, Mukesh Agnihotri as Dy CM

    Express News Service

    The Congress party’s high command on Saturday chose Himachal Pradesh MLA Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu as the state’s next Chief Minister and the leader of the legislative party.

    Sukhu, a four-time MLA from Nadaun, was the head of the election campaign committee in the recently concluded assembly elections and played a pivotal role in the Congress party’s return to power.

    Mukesh Agnihotri, a five-time MLA from Haroli and the leader of opposition in the outgoing Himachal Assembly, has been chosen as the state’s Deputy Chief Minister.

    The duo are set to be sworn in on Sunday.

    The Congress wrested power from the BJP in the hill state winning 40 of the 68 assembly seats.

    In their meeting Friday evening, the MLAs had unanimously passed a resolution authorising the party president to pick the legislature party leader, who will be the next chief minister.

    The polling was held on November 12 and the results were declared Thursday.

    Several leaders including state Congress chief Pratibha Singh, the wife of Virbhadra Singh, and their son Vikramaditya Singh, who won his election, were also in contention for the CM and Dy CM’s post. ALSO READ | Himachal Pradesh: Intense lobbying within Congress for CM’s post 

    (With inputs from PTI)

    The Congress party’s high command on Saturday chose Himachal Pradesh MLA Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu as the state’s next Chief Minister and the leader of the legislative party.

    Sukhu, a four-time MLA from Nadaun, was the head of the election campaign committee in the recently concluded assembly elections and played a pivotal role in the Congress party’s return to power.

    Mukesh Agnihotri, a five-time MLA from Haroli and the leader of opposition in the outgoing Himachal Assembly, has been chosen as the state’s Deputy Chief Minister.

    The duo are set to be sworn in on Sunday.

    The Congress wrested power from the BJP in the hill state winning 40 of the 68 assembly seats.

    In their meeting Friday evening, the MLAs had unanimously passed a resolution authorising the party president to pick the legislature party leader, who will be the next chief minister.

    The polling was held on November 12 and the results were declared Thursday.

    Several leaders including state Congress chief Pratibha Singh, the wife of Virbhadra Singh, and their son Vikramaditya Singh, who won his election, were also in contention for the CM and Dy CM’s post. ALSO READ | Himachal Pradesh: Intense lobbying within Congress for CM’s post
     

    (With inputs from PTI)