Himachal CM Sukhu says Congress will invite Assam CM to swearing-in
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu responded to remarks by Himanta Biswa Sarma regarding the next BJP Chief Minister's oath-taking ceremony.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Monday that the Congress party will invite all state Chief Ministers, including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, to its next swearing-in ceremony. According to ANI, Sukhu made these comments in Shimla while responding to Sarma's statement about attending a future BJP Chief Minister's oath-taking ceremony in the state.
Sukhu claimed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is split into five factions and suggested Sarma was brought to Himachal Pradesh to unify these internal groups. He expressed confidence that the Congress would return to power in the 2027 Assembly elections with a larger mandate, predicting the BJP's seat count would decrease.
The Chief Minister also defended a November 1 rally held at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He dismissed BJP claims that the event was a failure, stating that a significant number of people, including those from Himachal Pradesh, participated in the rally led by Rahul Gandhi.
Addressing concerns over electronic voting machines (EVMs) and SIR, Sukhu noted that the Himachal Pradesh elections occurred in 2022, whereas questions regarding EVMs were raised after 2024. He stated these matters require examination.
On state finances, Sukhu said the government is working towards self-reliance despite the discontinuation of the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) of approximately Rs 8,000–Rs 10,000 crore. He noted that the administration continues to provide a five per cent dearness allowance (DA) to employees despite financial constraints.