Shimla: An all-party meeting convened here ahead of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly session to discuss the situation arising out of the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) crisis was marked by deepening confrontation between the ruling party and Opposition, taking divergent stands, and eventually a walkout of the BJP leaders, including former CM Jairam Thakur and BJP Chief Rajeev Bindal.
Addressing media persons after the meeting, the Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the meeting was convened as the proposed withdrawal of RDG is a matter of serious concern for the state and could adversely affect the state’s economy, but the BJP seems to be in a dilemma to take a clear stand in “favour of the state” after the blow caused by the withdrawal of the RDG—a loss of Rs 6,000 crore per annum.
He criticised the BJP for walking out of the meeting midway, terming the move highly condemnable.
He said it reflected a lack of seriousness on their part and alleged that they attended only to politicise the issue, rather than to safeguard the interests of the people of the state.
The former CM, however, accused the chief minister of creating an unpleasant situation in the meeting due to his critical and “absurd” remarks against the centre and the BJP leadership.
The Chief Minister, on the other hand, said that not only the Congress, but also the CPI(M), Aam Aadmi Party, and Bahujan Samaj Party have expressed willingness to meet the Prime Minister to press for the reinstatement of the RDG. He added, “It appeared the BJP was not willing to stand for the rights of the state and had attended the meeting only under public pressure before leaving it midway.”