Himachal Pradesh BJP president Rajeev Bindal had been the health minister in the party-led government from 2007 to 2012. He was elected as the Speaker of the legislative assembly for two years before being appointed as the party state unit chief for the first time in 2020. The five-time MLA talks to Bhawani Negi of The Statesman on how the Congress dispensation is not doing enough to improve the financial condition of the hill state. Bindal (69) also accuses the ruling Congress of bringing a bad name to the state.

Q. Himachal Pradesh is in a bad financial shape, with the Congress and the BJP blaming each other for the mounting debt. Where does the buck stop?

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A. The incumbent Congress government is just a “time pass” government, resorting to blame games and diverting public attention. This is the worst performing government in the history of the state. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, cabinet ministers and many of the Congress MLAs were well versed with the financial condition of the state. Despite all this, they came up with guarantees to come to power. They have only worsened the financial condition of the state. Ignoring the public interest, the chief minister is busy appointing his ‘friends’ to various posts, including parliamentary secretaries, chairmen and vice-chairmen of various corporations and boards. In 2017, when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power, it inherited a debt of Rs 50,000 crore, and Rs 11,000 crore liability. When the party made an exit in 2022, the state’s debt was Rs 70,000 crore and Rs 9,000 crore liabilities. Our party took a loan of Rs 20,000 crore in five years, and spent the money on the development of the state and even undertook several welfare schemes, including Sahara Yojna, Himcare, social pension for elderly and others. In the last two years, the Sukhu government has already taken loans of Rs 30,000 crore, but there has been no development. Comparison is there for all to see.

Q. The Congress government will soon be completing two years of its tenure. How do you rate its performance?

A. It has been a disastrous government with no achievement to boast about. The government is running in reverse gear. More than 1,000 institutions opened by the previous BJP government have been closed. Public schemes like Himcare and Jan Manch programmes have been stopped with political intent. Of late, the state government has gained expertise in making U-turns on its decisions after facing public outrage. Notifications are issued on back dates for damage control.

Q. Chief Minister Sukhu talks of making Himachal self-reliant by 2027. Your comments.

A. Sukhu is making tall claims and is a far cry from what it promised to come to power. Accountability to the people and the state is what the government is trying to duck. The Sukhu government came to power with an agenda in the name of guarantees, which it has miserably failed to deliver. The government stands exposed for their false guarantees, it also brought Himachal Pradesh in a bad light. On the contrary, it is working against the guarantees made to the people. This government has proved to be the most ineffective. Taxes have been imposed on water, electricity, diesel, and stamp duty. It has not spared anything to levy taxes, thus breaking the back of the common man.

Q. Sukhu and other Congress leaders blame the Centre for lack of funds.

A. These are politically motivated statements. Whatever development is going on in the state, it is thanks to the aid of the Centre. One of the state ministers even took to social media to acknowledge the central assistance, while the chief minister himself meets Union ministers and pleads for more assistance, which itself is contradictory. If the Centre stops the assistance, the progress and development of Himachal will come to a standstill… the Congress won’t be able to run the government even for five days. The Congress government has wasted two years and will waste another three years. The people of the state will support the BJP as the party has taken care of the interest of the public as a viable alternative to ensure progress and stability.