Taking a dig at the opposition BJP and the rebel Congress MLAs, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday cautioned them that the people of the state would teach a lesson to those who insult public mandate and try to create instability.

Addressing a massive public meeting at Shillai in the Sirmaur district on Wednesday, Sukhu said that the opposition would never succeed in its efforts to destabilise the government which has the backing of the people.

Accusing the rebels of betraying the public for money, he tried to make them realise their selfish political motives and urged the people to reject such opportunists.

The Chief Minister said that spontaneous redressal of public grievances was his priority and that he does not believe in playing with the sentiments of the people for political gains.

The state government has been working for the welfare of all sections of society, despite facing challenges of all sorts during its 15-month regime, he added.

“My politics revolves around my people and the chair of the Chief Minister serves as a means to fulfil their expectations,” Sukhu said, adding that his government is working relentlessly to curb and eradicate corruption.

It was on these lines that the Himachal Pradesh Subordinate Staff Selection Commission (HPSSC), Hamirpur, was disbanded for selling jobs, he said.

Alleging that the HPSSC had been synonymous with corruption, he said that legal action had been initiated against the corrupt officials involved in the heinous crime.

The current government is committed to providing employment to the youth as per merit, ensuring transparency and providing them better self-employment opportunities for which the government has launched the Rs 680 crore Rajiv Gandhi Self-Employment Start-up Scheme and the Rs 500 crore Him Ganga Yojana, he said.

“I know that the people of the Sirmaur district suffered a massive loss due to the monsoon fury. As many as 66 houses were destroyed and 718 partially damaged in the district. Despite limited resources, the government revised relief norms to enhance aid. Subsequently, a special package of Rs 4,500 crore was made available for the rehabilitation of those affected by the disaster,” the Chief Minister said.

“Our government distributed around Rs 20 crore as relief for the rehabilitation of those affected by the calamity in the Sirmaur district,” he said.