'Congress working with sense of revenge...': Ex Himachal CM Jairam Thakur on Sukhvinder Sukhu's 1st cabinet meet

Ex-CM Jairam Thakur's remarks came after the newly appointed CM Sukhvinder Sukhu announced to put on hold various appointments made by the previous BJP govert in the first cabinet meeting.

Shimla: Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur on Tuesday accused the newly formed Congress government led by CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of working with a sense of revenge. The BJP leader claimed that Congress was continuing its custom of stopping work and overturning the decisions of the BJP. His remarks came after the newly appointed Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu made several key announcements several key announcements including the end of VIP culture at Himachal Bhawan and putting on hold various appointments made by the previous BJP government in the first cabinet meeting. Taking to Twitter, Jairam Thakur said in Hindi, "Congress, continuing its custom, started the work of stopping and overturning the decisions of our government, while the cabinet has not even been formed yet, but has started working with a sense of revenge. Starting work with a sense of revenge is not good."

He also alleged that the current government was obstructing the development works in the state. "School, college, hospital, police station, bridge, road, drinking water scheme... the work of hanging, obstructing and distracting all these works has started, for which the public will never forgive them. Starting work with a sense of revenge is not good," he added.

The former state chief also stressed that BJP did not overturn any decision by Congress in Himachal Pradesh and said, "We served the public for five years without any discrimination, never did any work in the state with a sense of revenge. We did not overturn any decision of the Congress government, did not stop any development work, but regret that the Congress government has started working with a sense of revenge." 

हमने पाँच साल बिना किसी भेदभाव के जनता की सेवा की,कभी बदले की भावना से प्रदेश में कोई काम नहीं किया।

हमने कांग्रेस सरकार के किसी फैसले को नहीं पलटा,कोई विकास कार्य नहीं रोका,मगर अफसोस कि कांग्रेस सरकार ने बदले की भावना के साथ काम करना शुरू कर दिया है।#जनता_विरोधी_कांग्रेससरकार pic.twitter.com/KSxZ6jrPOy

— Jairam Thakur (@jairamthakurbjp) December 13, 2022

Earlier on Monday, the newly appointed CM Sukhu said that the old pension scheme will be restored in the first cabinet meeting. He said the Congress government has decided that in Himachal Bhawan & Himachal Sadan, rent & food expenses for MLAs will be the same as for common people, thus ending the VIP treatment accorded to the MLAs. Earlier, common people used to pay the full amount and MLAs used to get the facilities at subsidised rates.

The Himachal CM also announced to stay on various appointments made by the Jairam Thakur-led BJP government. Sukhu directed that all extensions or re-employments accorded & operative be terminated except for Government Medical Colleges. He said that all the decisions taken by the previous cabinet since 1st April will be reviewed. "All institutions for which notifications for creation/up-gradation were issued, be de-notified," he ordered.

Sukhu on Sunday took oath as the new chief minister of Himachal Pradesh. Mukesh Agnihotri, former Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, also took oath as the deputy chief minister of the state. The swearing-in ceremony was attended by top leaders of Congress, including national president Mallikarjun Kharge, MP Rahul Gandhi and All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Priyanka Gandhi. Congress won the Assembly polls in the state, bagging a total of 40 seats. 

(With ANI inputs)