Defectors from Cong behind factionalism in BJP: Dy CM

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri today said that the state BJP was faction ridden and the BJP leaders were not accepting the other group, which included leaders who had defected to their party from the Congress.

Agnihotri said that the BJP was divided into two camps and was plagued with factionalism. “Whenever BJP leaders, who had defected from the Congress, say something, the leaders, who claim to be part of the original BJP, do not acknowledge it saying that it is their personal opinion,” he added.

He said that there was no acceptability of the leaders, who had defected from the Congress to the BJP, and infighting would intensify in the opposition party in the coming days.

He accused the BJP of trying to destabilise the democratically elected Congress government in Himachal to capture power. “Their ‘Operation Lotus’ has failed to bring down our government, the BJP-led Central Government is trying its level best to starve Himachal of funds to bring about an economic crisis,” he said. There are seven MPs (four Lok Sabha, three Rajya Sabha) from Himachal but all of them are unitedly working to block any kind of help to the hill state,” he added.

Agnihotri said that the BJP had in the past two years constantly been conspiring to bring the downfall the state government but had failed. “The BJP is trying to create political and economic instability in the state because people had rejected it in the 2022 Assembly poll,” he added.

He said that the state BJP leaders were trying to create hurdles in the efforts of Himachal to get its share from the Central Government. “The Central Government is discriminating against Himachal in giving us our share in the BBMB, tourism projects, reduction in foreign funding and ending Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation,” he added.

Agnihotri said, “Even if the Central Government strangulates our government economically, we will continue to work in the interest of the state. The Congress, Chief Minister and the Cabinet are committed to working for the welfare of the state and its people. We will fulfil all 10 guarantees but we want that the subsidies provided to economically well off people are reduced while the weaker sections continue to get these.”