Correspondent, Hamirpur

BJP legislators should have demonstrated unity not by boycotting the Planning Commission’s MLA priority meetings but by working together to secure ₹9,200 crore for Himachal Pradesh’s employees from the central government and ₹9,000 crore for disaster relief. This was stated by senior Congress leader Dr. Pushpendra Verma in a press release today.

He accused the BJP of attempting to strangle democracy in Himachal Pradesh. Under the leadership of Leader of Opposition Jai Ram, BJP legislators have proven that they are more focused on their personal political gains rather than addressing the priorities and needs of the people in government forums.

Dr. Verma emphasized that the Planning Commission’s MLA priority meetings are not party-specific gatherings but an essential democratic platform. For years, these meetings have allowed elected representatives to present public priorities, enabling the government to formulate and implement welfare schemes. However, by boycotting these meetings, BJP legislators are not only undermining democracy but also dashing the hopes of the people.

He further stated that if BJP MLAs were truly committed to unity, they should have gathered the courage to demand the ₹9,200 crore that has been pending with the central government for the last two and a half years. The interest on this amount alone runs into crores. Instead of standing up for the people of Himachal Pradesh, these leaders are prioritizing their political ambitions over democratic values.

Dr. Verma concluded by saying that history will remember this as an unfortunate chapter when, under the leadership of Jai Ram, opposition MLAs set a new precedent of sabotaging democracy by boycotting Planning Commission meetings. The credit for this, he remarked, will go to the Leader of Opposition, Jai Ram.