The Himachal Pradesh Congress government on Thursday marked its three years in office with a huge show of strength at Paddal Ground in Mandi. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, senior leaders and thousands of supporters gathered for what was presented as both a celebration and a political message to the BJP ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
Addressing the gathering, CM Sukhu said the huge public turnout showed the trust people still placed in the Congress government.
He said he became Chief Minister with the blessings of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. He stressed his simple family background and the Congress’ long legacy of sacrifice.
Sukhu invoked Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, reminding critics that the party had lost two prime ministers “for the sake of the nation.”
He recalled visiting orphaned children on his first day as Chief Minister instead of going to the Secretariat. He said this gesture reflected his government’s people-first approach. He noted that 6,000 orphans had been declared “Children of the State,” receiving support from the government which includes Rs 3 lakh for house construction, Rs 1 lakh for tuition and Rs 4,000 every month as pocket money.
He attacked the previous BJP government, alleging it left Himachal with a debt of Rs 75,000 crore. He said his government had to take loans just to repay older ones. Sukhu also accused the BJP of giving Sixth Pay Commission benefits at the last minute before the 2022 polls for political gain. He said restoring the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) was the first Cabinet decision and was done for employees, not politics.
Sukhu alleged that the Centre withheld Rs 1,600 crore in response to the state restoring OPS. He described the devastation caused by the 2023 monsoon disaster, when 75,000 tourists were stranded in Kullu, Manali, Lahaul and Spiti. He said the government quickly restored roads, water supplies and food distribution.
He said a central team assessed damages at Rs 9,300 crore, but the state received only Rs 500 crore. The government announced its own Rs 4,500 crore relief package and changed rules to support affected families.
He said 23,000 houses were damaged, and the state offered Rs 7 lakh to each affected family for rebuilding. Sukhu also accused the previous BJP government of corruption, pointing to cases where 4,500 bighas of public land were allotted for only Rs 1.32 crore, special industrial packages were cleared with waived fees, and power was offered at Rs 3 per unit to select industrialists. He said the BJP renewed wine contracts for Rs 450 crore in four years, while the Congress recovered the same amount in a single year through auction.
Sukhu also stressed the recovery of Rs 350 crore in the Wildflower Hall case and Rs 250 crore from JSW, saying both amounts had been credited to the state treasury.
He predicted that in 2027, the Congress would return to power with a larger mandate, saying the party would win 52 seats. Congress in-charge Rajni Patil hailed the government’s performance, calling the day an important milestone and saying six guarantees had been fulfilled. She praised the anti-drug efforts and welfare-driven approach. She said Congress would definitely return to power in 2027.
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri delivered a sharp speech, calling the rally a “warning bell” for those who thought they could win elections “while sitting at home.”
He said Himachal was built by Congress governments and received statehood under the Gandhi family, while the BJP had opposed it. He accused BJP leaders of going to Delhi to block funds, saying Rs 1,200 crore under Jal Jeevan Mission and Rs 1,500 crore announced by the Prime Minister were still pending.
He asked CM Sukhu to act firmly where required and demanded that senior party leaders get preference in government roles. HPCC president Vinay Kumar said the past three years were difficult due to disasters, but the government worked hard to help affected families.
He also hit out at Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut, saying she did not visit disaster-affected areas. He said the party would continue focusing on development and strengthening Congress in Mandi. A coffee-table book documenting three years of government work was also released. Gallantry awardees and sportspersons were also honoured.
PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh and former HPCC president Pratibha Singh did not attend the event.
Also Read: Govt failed, yet celebrating in Mandi: Jai Ram
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