Himachal Pradesh: A Debt Legacy Tug-of-War

A political dispute unfolds as Congress and BJP argue over which party is responsible for Himachal Pradesh's financial liabilities. The BJP blames Congress for starting the debt trend, while Congress accuses BJP of exacerbating it. Both parties sling accusations of fiscal mismanagement under their rule.

A heated exchange has erupted between Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over who is responsible for the mounting liabilities in Himachal Pradesh. The BJP claims the debt originated during the tenure of Congress chief minister Virbhadra Singh.

Rajesh Dharmani, a Congress minister, accused the current administration of amassing loans exceeding Rs 30,080 crore, asserting that 63% of this sum serviced debts left by the preceding BJP government. In retort, Himachal Pradesh BJP general secretary Vinod Kumar labeled these claims as false.

Kumar argues that the first significant borrowing was by Congress under Virbhadra Singh, whereas BJP Chief Minister Shanta Kumar achieved a debt-free administration. Conversely, subsequent BJP governments and the current Congress government have inflated the state's debt, each citing different reasons for their borrowing.

(With inputs from agencies.)