The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh completes three years on December 11, with ‘Vyavastha Parivartan’ as its main slogan for governance.
Though the government’s recent move to delay the Panchayati Raj Institution and Urban Local Body polls, citing the state’s slow recovery after the natural calamity, especially in terms of road repairs, has stirred controversy, it has simultaneously decided to hold its three-year event in Mandi, the region that saw the maximum loss of life and property. The Sukhu government, however, is all set to showcase its achievements and vision for the state on the occasion.
Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur has criticised the decision to hold the event in Mandi, calling it inhumane. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has clarified, saying, “It is not a celebration. The government is simply reaching out to the people with its vision for the state.”
The Congress government has launched several welfare measures, especially for orphans, with its ‘Sukh Ashray’ scheme gaining recognition across the country. Its initiatives to streamline revenue processes with time-bound systems and its push for chemical-free natural farming, aimed at increasing income of farmers while working in harmony with nature, have also received appreciation.
Yet, the Congress government’s three years in power have been marked by political and administrative controversies. Discontent within the party peaked when Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu became Chief Minister in 2022, a decision that surprised the dominant faction once led by the late six-time CM Virbhadra Singh. Many Congress MLAs from the rival camp struggled to accept Sukhu’s leadership, given his long-standing differences with the former chief minister.
The Congress lost four of its MLAs who were disqualified by the State Assembly for rebellion after skipping the budget session and later they contested bypolls on BJP tickets. However, in the byelections later, the Congress regained its strength of 40 in the House.
After this political setback and then period of instability, the government’s attempts to change the established norms and systems across sectors, without giving much thought into the real impact on governance and ground, invited sharp criticism. The youth and the BJP repeatedly questioned the government over its unfulfilled poll guarantee of one lakh jobs in the first cabinet meeting and five lakh jobs in five years, made by national leader Priyanka Gandhi. With over 10 lakh educated unemployed youth in the state, resentment and frustration has grown. Government employees and pensioners, too, complain about delay in payments of arrears.
The disaster-hit Himachal Pradesh is facing a financial crunch, affecting development works. The Chief Minister has repeatedly stated that the Central Government has not released the promised relief funds, a claim that has triggered heated debates inside and outside the Assembly.
At the same time, the state government has been criticised for not adopting austerity measures in routine functioning. The decision to increase salaries of legislators angered the public, which is already feeling financial strain in every sector.
The withdrawal of the Non-Practicing Allowance (NPA) for new medical, dental, veterinary, and Ayurveda doctors, along with low stipends for Junior Residents in state medical colleges, has also frustrated young doctors, many of whom are choosing to study and work outside Himachal, affecting the health sector.
The debt burden on the state has increased to over Rs one lakh crore, which gives a gloomy picture of the state’s near future.
Political challenges within the Congress are also increasing for the government as the 2027 elections draw closer, especially after the high command appointed Vinay Kumar as Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee Chief, who comes from CM’s rival camp.
Vinay Kumar, who was introduced into politics by late Virbhadra Singh when Kumar's father died, is perceived to by confidant of Deputy CM, Mukesh Agnihotri. This parallel power with two camps - Sukhu and Agnihotri- may cause major divide in ticket distribution in Congress in 2027 Assembly polls.
Going forward, the next two years remain challenging for the Sukhu government. While some of his loyalists feel dissatisfied for not being accommodated in the government, common people are upset with the idea of ‘Vyavastha Parivartan’. They feel the administration is overly influenced by a few serving and retired bureaucrats with questionable reputations, who hold disproportionate sway in shaping policies to suit their own interests—a concern reportedly raised even by ministers in internal meetings, but to no avail.
“It is ‘Vyavastha Patan’, not Parivartan. People will give a fitting reply to the Congress in the 2027 polls for this degradation in established systems in Himachal,” said State BJP Chief Dr. Rajiv Bindal.
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