Shimla: In the wake of large-scale devastation caused by recent natural calamities in Himachal Pradesh, particularly in Mandi’s Seraj region, a high-powered BJP delegation led by party national president and Union minister J.P. Nadda met Union Home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Thursday, seeking urgent relief and rehabilitation measures for affected families.
The meeting comes days after Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu met Shah for Central assistance. The BJP, meanwhile, has accused the state government of delivering slow relief.
Nadda, who visited the affected areas, was joined by Union minister Anurag Thakur, Rajya Sabha MPs Suresh Kashyap, Rajeev Bhardwaj, Indu Goswami, Sikander Kumar, and Harsh Mahajan, as well as actor-turned-MP Kangana Ranaut. Former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, state BJP president Rajeev Bindal, and MLAs Vinod Kumar, Hans Raj, and Deep Raj were also part of the delegation.
Nadda informed Shah about extensive damage from nearly a dozen cloudbursts across Seraj, Nachan, and Karsog, which triggered flash floods, landslides, and road blockages. Over 1,000 homes, bridges, and power and water schemes have been damaged, while several lives were lost or remain unaccounted for. Losses to private and public property in Mandi district alone are estimated at Rs 708 crore.
The delegation also met Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, seeking funds for road and bridge reconstruction. Gadkari assured that damaged infrastructure would be restored on a “war footing.”
Nadda assured residents that the Centre would stand by Himachal, adding that a central team will assess losses soon, paving the way for a relief package, similar to the Centre’s swift response after the
2023 floods.