Cong dares BJP to hold polls to Shimla MC to test waters

shimla: Claiming that incumbent government in Himachal Pradesh was on its way-out, the opposition Congress on Saturday dared the ruling BJP to hold elections to Shimla Municipal Corporation (MC) to know where it stands in terms of popularity.

Deputy Leader of the Congress in state assembly Harshvardhan Chauhan said the BJP was afraid of facing the elections to state's oldest and politically hyper Municipal Corporation. The elections were slated to happen at least two months back but the BJP displayed no political courage to hold the elections.

"If the elections are held today, the BJP will know where doesn't it stand as it has already lost the trust and goodwill of the people of the state. The government is on its way out. It's only a guest of few months. Once assembly elections are held, the BJP will lick the dust. It will be forced to exit power," he declared at the party headquarters in Shimla.

A senior party MLA from Shailai in Sirmaur district, Chauhan said the Chief Minister was well aware of the ground realities. He has chosen to befool the people announcing series of new schemes and projects without proper budgetary provisions.

"Chief Minister gets-up every morning, boards official helicopter and goes to constituencies to announce projects worth Rs 150 – 200 cr. Everyone knows all these projects for which he has laid foundation stones have no sanctioned budgets thus will not materialize ever. Yet he wants to win elections this way as ground realities were known to him," said Chauhan.

The Congress leader said Jai Ram Thakur, who happens to be an accidental CM (made in place of Prem Kumar Dhumal ,who was BJP's projected CM candidate) has proved to be weakest and coward Chief Minister in the state.He did now show any courage to make any demand to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visits to the state at least three times after BJP came to power in 2017. The debt of the state has risen to Rs 70,000 cr as per official figures laid in the budget. "A single chairman/vice-chairman costs Rs one crore to the state government in a year. They have been allotted brand new vehicles costing Rs 35 lakh to Rs 40 lakh with their staff also facilitated to use official vehicles. Chief Minister has kept helicopter exclusively for himself and never travel by road," Chauhan said.

He demanded a white paper on the state's financial position.