Shimla: The political temperature in Himachal Pradesh soared in the Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday as the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP came face to face over the issue of Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG), with sharp exchanges echoing across the House.
During the discussion, members of the Congress Legislative Party, led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, raised slogans against the BJP for not supporting the government’s resolution seeking continuation of RDG for the state.
Addressing the House, Sukhu launched a direct attack on Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur, accusing him of taking contradictory stands on the issue. The Chief Minister said that Jairam Thakur had earlier approached the 16th Finance Commission arguing that Himachal Pradesh deserved RDG, but was now opposing the same demand.
“How much pressure has come upon you that you are now saying Himachal should not get RDG?” Sukhu asked, asserting that RDG was the rightful claim of the people of Himachal Pradesh and not any form of charity. He said the Congress would fight the RDG battle with full strength and resolve.
Taking the offensive further, Sukhu said the public would question BJP MLAs on why they remained silent when nearly ₹10,000 crore of Himachal’s funds were allegedly blocked. “The people will ask you—when our money was stopped, why did you keep quiet?” he remarked.
From the BJP benches, Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur maintained that the party was not against Himachal’s financial interests, but alleged that the Congress government was politicising the issue to divert attention from its own failures.
BJP leaders insist that the matter of RDG should be addressed through constitutional and financial mechanisms rather than through political confrontation in the Assembly.
The heated exchange underlined the deepening political divide in Himachal Pradesh, with RDG emerging as a major flashpoint ahead of crucial engagements with the Finance Commission and future Centre–state negotiations.
