Shimla (Himachal Pradesh): It has been one year since the Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government came to power in Himachal Pradesh. The Himachal government organized a grand program in Dharamshala on Monday.
The opposition BJP observed it as 'Aakrosh Diwas' and held protests at various places.
Himachal Pradesh and Lok Sabha polls: Himachal Pradesh is a small state in terms of political mathematics for Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. After the 2021 by-elections in Himachal Pradesh, which has four Lok Sabha seats, the Mandi seat was won by Congress. The BJP won all the seats in 2014 and 2019. However, in the current situation the path may be difficult for Congress to change the equation.
Election promises can become a hindrance in the path of Congress: Exactly one year ago, Congress came to power in the hill state by winning 40 seats. According to political experts, the election promises of Congress played a vital role in bringing the grand old party back to power, but after a year, the same promises are proving to be the biggest obstacle. Congress made as many as 10 promises during the 2022 Assembly polls. The promises made by the Congress included implementation of old pension scheme (OPS), Rs 1,500 monthly assistance to every woman aged 18 to 59 years, 300 units free electricity, five lakh jobs, start-up scheme for youth, gardeners have the right to decide the price of fruits, free treatment from mobile clinics in every village, four English medium schools in every assembly constituency, purchase 10 liters of milk daily from cow-buffalo farmers, and purchase of cow dung at Rs 2 per kg.
What happened to the promises in one year? The Congress government has fulfilled the promise of OPS. However, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu himself has said that other guarantee of Congress is being fulfilled with the start up scheme worth Rs 680 crore. The CM also said that soon the promise of teaching English in every primary school from the next academic session will be fulfilled.
"Our government has taken 365 decisions in 365 days. During one year of government, we have fulfilled three out of 10 promises. We have come for five years and we will fulfill the remaining promises in the next four years," said Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu.
However, apart from these three promises, the state government does not have much to mention about other guarantees. However, every incomplete guarantee can pose challenges to the Congress in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
BJP on the front foot: The BJP lost the elections in the 2022. However, after the saffron party won the recently held elections in three states - Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, it is demanding one year's report card from the Sukhu government. According to BJP leaders, the Himachal Pradesh government "has done nothing in the last one year".
Mission 2024 and Congress's problems: Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu believes that the government has made a budget arrangement of Rs 4,500 crore for the disaster affected people and areas. "If the disaster had not occurred, the government would have fulfilled other guarantees too," he added.
Meanwhile, Senior journalist Dhananjay Anthwal believes that 2023 has been full of difficulties for Himachal Pradesh and that will impact the performance of Congress during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. "Especially the anger of the youth waiting for employment can be seen on social media. Apart from unfulfilled promises, internal strife in Congress, lack of Cabinet expansion, inability to pay dues of government employees can also go against the Mallikarjun Kharge-led party," Anthwal added.
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