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Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday expressed confidence that the Congress would return to power in the 2027 Assembly elections and claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would win fewer seats than it currently holds in the state Assembly.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a two-day Himachal Pradesh Congress organisational meeting in Shimla, Sukhu said the people would decide the outcome of the election but asserted that the Congress was working with commitment and was confident of securing a second consecutive term. "The people decide whether a government returns to power. We are working with full commitment, and I am confident that Congress will come back to power in 2027. The BJP will not form the government in Himachal Pradesh, and it will win even fewer Assembly seats than it has at present," Sukhu said. The Chief Minister said the newly constituted Pradesh Congress Committee under state Congress president Vinay Kumar was holding its first General House meeting, attended by district and block Congress presidents, cabinet ministers and senior party functionaries. He said the meeting was focused on strengthening the party organisation and preparing a strategy to counter what he described as the BJP's "false propaganda". "We have been deliberating on organisational as well as political issues for several hours. The objective is to further strengthen the Congress organisation and effectively respond to the misinformation being spread by the BJP," Sukhu said. On differences between Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi and Kinnaur District Congress Committee president Nigam Bhandari, the Chief Minister dismissed suggestions of a major rift. "Jagat Singh Negi is a senior minister who expressed his views, while Nigam Bhandari represents the younger leadership. Differences of opinion are natural in any democratic organisation. They should not be portrayed as a dispute. Both leaders will sit together, and the issue will be resolved through dialogue," he said. Sukhu also clarified that Negi had not questioned the Congress high command but had only expressed his own views. On cabinet expansion, Sukhu said the decision on filling the lone vacant ministerial berth would be taken by the Congress high command. "There is one vacancy in the Cabinet that needs to be filled. The Political Affairs Committee meeting scheduled for July 16 and 17 will be important. If weather conditions remain favourable, the meeting will take place as scheduled, and the vacant ministerial position will be filled soon," he said. Commenting on the alleged Ram Temple donation controversy, the Chief Minister termed the matter "extremely serious" and said anyone found guilty of misusing donations offered in the name of Lord Ram should face strict action. "Lord Ram is revered by everyone. During the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Himachal Pradesh declared a public holiday. Congress believes that anyone involved in irregularities or misuse of donations offered in the name of God should not be spared. There must be a fair investigation, and the guilty should face stringent action," the Chief Minister said. The two-day organisational meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Congress is reviewing the party's organisational structure, the functioning of the state government, preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections and key political issues facing the party, Sukhu added. (ANI)
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