The political cleavage between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP is increasing in Himachal Pradesh with the BJP MLAs on Monday, boycotting the MLA priority meetings fixed by the state government on February 3 and 4 in Shimla.
Talking to media persons here, the Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said there has been a tradition to hold the MLA priority meetings before the budget session every year, which are chaired by the Chief Minister and where MLAs are asked to give priorities on development works in their constituencies.
"But the way the BJP MLAs are being humiliated in this government at all levels, we have decided to boycott these meetings. We are pained to make this decision. Whatever priorities the BJP MLAs had given the government over the last two years, they are nowhere in the priority of the government", said Thakur.
"No Detailed Project Reports are being made, no directions are being given to start the work. It is not about breaking the tradition. We feel that there is no meaning in attending the MLA priority meetings in the Sukhu government", Thakur added.
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Thakur said the Congress government had failed to perform in two years and was just passing the buck on the previous BJP government.
He said the state government has been blaming the Central government for not giving assistance to Himachal Pradesh, whereas in reality, the Centre's special assistance is also being diverted to salary heads and other payments.
The former BJP Chief Minister said the state government's decision not to requisition IAS officers for Himachal Pradesh had no meaning.
"Just two or three IAS officers are allocated to HP, which is not a big number," he said.
He said the Congress government has been crying about the financial crisis and, it should better save money on account of hefty payment to fees of advocates to fight the case in the Supreme Court to save the chairs of Chief Parliamentary Secretaries, whose appointment was quashed by the Himachal High Court.
"The government has spent ₹10 crore on hiring the advocates. So many people have been given cabinet rank in this government. Then why shout about the financial crisis. To me, it appears, the Congress government is trying to tax the people and is taking decisions to increase income in spheres, which will not make much difference to finances," he said.
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