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The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday said his Cabinet expansion was "on the cards" and likely to take place soon after receiving approval from the Congress central leadership, while hitting out at the BJP over the delay in the formation of newly elected Zila Parishad bodies.
Speaking to reporters in Shimla, Sukhu said the state government was awaiting a green signal from the Congress high command for the Cabinet expansion. "The Cabinet expansion is on the cards. We will get the green signal from the central leadership very soon and the expansion will take place shortly," Sukhu said. His remarks come amid continued speculation over filling the vacant ministerial berth in the Himachal Pradesh Council of Ministers. On the BJP's criticism over the delay in the constitution of newly elected Zila Parishad bodies and the election of their chairpersons and vice-chairpersons, Sukhu said the matter was before the Himachal Pradesh High Court and asserted that his government was acting strictly according to the law. "The matter is before the court and the Himachal Pradesh government is working completely according to the rules. The Opposition is only making allegations," he said. Defending the local body election process, Sukhu said Zila Parishad, Block Development Committee and Panchayat elections were different from Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. He said voters in grassroots elections generally assessed candidates on the basis of their local connect, accessibility and ability to stand with people and their families during difficult times. "This is a local election. In Zila Parishad, BDC and Panchayat elections, people look at the local candidate, whether they are connected with the people and whether they stand with them in times of difficulty," Sukhu said. The Chief Minister also rejected allegations of political manipulation in the distribution of party tickets, asserting that the Congress had not shifted any candidate ticket. Sukhu further sought to distinguish local elections from Assembly and parliamentary polls, saying voting patterns in grassroots elections are often determined by local candidates and issues rather than broader political considerations. The Chief Minister's remarks came amid a political and legal dispute over the formation of the newly elected Zila Parishad bodies, with the BJP questioning the delay and the state government maintaining that the matter would be dealt with in accordance with the law and the proceedings before the High Court. (ANI)
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