Page 40 - English Tehelka Issue 12 - June 30, 2018

HimacHal pradesH

in April that state has total debt of Another problem which Jai Ram water management policy, other-
46,502.42 crores which now have is facing is the rising water cri - wise, coming years will be more
crossed 48,000 crores. The state ses in the capital city of Himachal troublesome for the people of
has a great scope in the field of Pradesh and some other districts the state.
tourism, but nothing concrete has in the state. Shimla faced worst After a shake-up in the bureau-
been done to enhance infrastruc- kind of water scarcity this summer. cracy, the new chief minister, Jai
ture to attract more tourists in the People were forced to demonstrate Ram, tried to firm his grip on offic-
state. ‘’Tourism is the only sector on the streets. This is interesting to ers, who otherwise in the state are
Six months after power where Himachal have note that water level in many ar- ‘’divided’’ on the political lines. Like
eas have gone down and more than many other states bureaucracy used
great possibilities. If sincere efforts
are made with the help of central
half hand pumps in the state have
to play a big role in the success of
in office, government, Himachal can use this gone dry now. There are fewer rains governments, especially, in the im-
sector to improve its financial situ-
plementation of ambitious projects
in the state and glaciers are melt-
Jai Ram Thakur ation,’’ said BD Sharma, a former di- ing due to rise in the temperature. of ruling parties or chief ministers.
rector in the state government.
Experts feel that state needs a solid
Former Chief Ministers Virbhadra
still faces
challenges HP Congress: A divided house

If Chief Minister Jai Ram is a grass route worker in the politics. However, his staunch
Thakur is facing challenges. organisation and has held many rival state PCC chief Sukhu
The condition of the opposition post rights from NSUI to the opposes Virbhadra’s style of
Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur is having a tough time keeping the bureaucracy Congress is also not well. The Youth Congress. He was also politics. His supporters say that
and his party BJP intact under his grip. On the other hand, Opposition party Congress seems Congress is clearly a divided astate youth Congress chief ‘’khandani raj’’ (dynasty rule)
while Agnihotri too has a family
cannot be tolerated for long
house in the state and there is a
to be divided in two groups led by former chief minister Virbhadra Singh and Pradesh Con- hard task in front of new state background of Congress. He is in the state.
gress Committee chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, all in six months, writes rakesh rocky Congress in-charge Rajni Patel, four-time MLA in the party and Virbhadra Singh camp wants
who visited Shimla on June 10, considered to be one of the most that Sukhu be forced to contest
first time after she was given the strong contenders for the CM from Hamirpur constituency in
JP leader Jai Ram each other in the public. task of state Congress. The most post in future. the next Lok Sabha polls. ‘’Raja
Thakur will complete Even after six months as chief influential leader in the state Senior leaders like Kaul Singh camp always conspired against
six months as the Chief minister, Jai Ram Thakur is fac - Congress, former Chief Minister and GS Bali lost elections this Sukhu. They want to conspire
Minister of the hilly state ing challenges on many fronts. On Virbhadra Singh and state Con- time while another young turk his defeat and thus brand him as
B of Himachal Pradesh on the government front, his biggest gress chief Sukhwinder Singh and a competitor to Agnihotri a weak leader,’’ alleged a Sukhu
June 27. When he was elected as challenge is to overcome the worst Sukhu are openly criticising and Sukhu, Sudhir Sharma also loyalist on the condition of ano-
leader of the BJP legislative party in financial condition of the hilly state each other. It is said that Singh lost from his seat. All these are nymity. Sukhu won assembly
December 2017, after the shocking Himachal which is facing a whopping 48,000 wants the ouster of Sukhu from considered as CM contenders in election from Nadaun in Hamir-
defeat of party’s chief ministerial crores debt. After the BJP govern- the PCC chief post, however, the party. pur district, considered to be a
candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal in CM’s biggest ment came to power in December Sukhu has managed to save his It is said that Virbhadra stronghold of BJP strongman
the Assembly elections, many ques- challenge is to 2017, it has raised over 4,950 crore chair by virtue of his closeness Singh wants to establish his son Prem Dhumal. However, Sukhu
tions were raised about Jai Ram’s loans till June 10. ‘’I admit we are among senior party leaders in Vikramaditya Singh, first time faction will support to field
capabilities as CM. However, he is overcome the facing a grim financial situation. Delhi. MLA and state youth Congress Sujanpur Tihra MLA Rajendra
trying hard to firm his grip on the We have reduced expenditures, On the other hand, CLP chief, in the party. Even his Rana from Hamirpur Lok Sabha
Bureaucracy and his party BJP. On worst financial however still we are facing a lot of leader Mukesh Agnihotri, who is wife and mother of Vikramadi- seat. Rana had defeated BJP CM
the other, hand after a humiliating condition of problems on this front,’’ CM told the considered to be a staunch loy- tya Singh, Pratibha Singh is candidate Dhumal and he is
defeat in the Assembly elections Tehelka. Sources said that state gov- alist of Virbhadra Singh, wants a two time MP and active in a strong loyalist of Virbhadra
opposition Congress party seems to the hilly state ernment even facing paying sala- to become the undisputed the state Congress affairs. It is Singh. Rana, a Rajput leader
be caught in the infighting in these which is facing a ries and pensions. The situation is leader in the state Congress. In said that Virbhadra Singh may till six years back was a close
six months as former chief minister that state is not in a position to man- fact, both Sukhu and Agnihotri try to manage Lok Sabha ticket associate of Dhumal but after
Virbhadra Singh and Pradesh Con- whopping 48,000 age finances without raising loans. are eying on the chief minister to his wife so that she and his differences with him, he joined
gress Committee chief Sukhwinder crores debt Chief Minister Jai Ram had ad- post in the next elections. Sukhu family remain relevant in state the Congress.
Singh Sukhu are all out to insult mitted during the Assembly session

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