Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh Assembly is set for a stormy start to its winter session in Dharamshala on Wednesday, with both the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP bracing for heated exchanges over key issues — from the massive losses suffered by hundreds of families in the monsoon calamities to the contentious deferment of panchayat elections.
Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, who flew to Dharamshala during the day, said, “The government is ready to discuss all issues under the roof, provided the opposition behaves responsibly and engages itself in constructive debate.” He, however, sounded a note of caution, urging the BJP to prioritise substantive public issues instead of attempting to extract political mileage or trivialize the session.
Equally strong were the views of Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur, who said the government has failed on all fronts. There is a complete collapse of the law-and-order situation—murders, firings and rapes, illegal mining, corruption, and drug trafficking have seen an alarming rise. “We want discussions on all burning issues, but the Congress will never be able to face the Opposition. We are fully geared up to pin down the government on widespread public distress and most pressing concerns—particularly the devastation caused by the monsoon disasters,” he said
Thakur accused the government of irregularities in the distribution of the relief and non-rehabilitation of the hundreds of families. Another major flashpoint will be the deferment of panchayat elections, a move the BJP has criticised as politically motivated.
This is the first time that the Winter session has been convened in November and will run for a record 10-day.