BJP Walks Out of All-Party Meet Over Revenue Deficit Grant Row in Himachal
War of Words Erupts Between CM Sukhu and LoP Jai Ram Thakur After Heated Discussion at Peterhoff
Shimla: Political tensions escalated in Himachal Pradesh after the Bharatiya Janata Party staged a walkout from an all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu at the historic Peterhoff on Friday.
The meeting was called to deliberate on the potential impact of the 16th Finance Commission’s recommendations to discontinue the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) to the state. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshvardhan and MLA Kuldeep Rathore were also present alongside the Chief Minister.
Representatives from the BJP, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Aam Aadmi Party, and Bahujan Samaj Party had been invited to participate in the discussion.
BJP Stages Walkout
From the BJP side, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur and state party president Dr. Rajeev Bindal attended the meeting along with other MLAs. However, after a brief discussion, BJP members walked out of the meeting.
While Dr. Bindal presented the party’s views during the session, Jai Ram Thakur later addressed the media outside the venue. He accused the state government of blaming the Centre for its financial woes and alleged that the government’s pre-election guarantees had strained the state’s economy.
CM Hits Back
Responding to the opposition’s allegations, Chief Minister Sukhu told reporters that the proposal to withdraw the RDG is a serious concern for the state and could adversely impact Himachal’s financial stability.
He criticized the BJP for what he termed a lack of seriousness on the issue, accusing the party of indulging in politics instead of safeguarding the interests of the people of Himachal Pradesh.
Referring to Jai Ram Thakur’s remarks, Sukhu said that not only the Congress but also the CPI(M), AAP, and BSP had expressed willingness to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to demand restoration of the RDG.
Constitutional Provision Cited
The Chief Minister emphasized that under Article 275(1) of the Constitution, the Revenue Deficit Grant is a constitutional provision aimed at bridging the gap between revenue and expenditure of states. He noted that the arrangement has been in place since 1952.
He also recalled that after the 2023 natural disaster, a proposal seeking a special relief package from the Centre for affected families had been passed, but the BJP had walked out of the House at that time as well.
With both sides trading sharp accusations, the RDG issue continues to deepen political divisions in the hill state, even as concerns grow over its potential impact on Himachal Pradesh’s financial health.
