Accusing the BJP of weakening democracy with money and muscle power in the state, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the public will give a befitting reply to the saffron party in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing a public meeting at Sarahan in Rampur tehsil of Shimla district on Friday, the CM sought to know who all were inspiring the rebel MLAs and financing their stay outside the state.

“The people of the state are well aware that the BJP has shed its moral values and is impatient to grab power by hook or crook. It has been the cheap modus-operandi of the BJP to conspire against the sitting congress governments by the means of money power and other tactics,” he said.

The Chief Minister announced to open a sub-tehsil in the Pandra-Bees area of Rampur and the construction of a bus stand and shopping complex at Nankhari.

Besides, he announced the renaming of Nalati Stadium at Rampur in the name of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and Middle School Kinnu in the name of Martyr Pawan Dhangal.

He also announced to open an ITI at Badhawli, the construction of a parking lot for vehicles at Rampur, and the allocation of Rs 50 lakh for the rejuvenation of the Sarpara Lake.

Counting the guarantees, the Chief Minister said that the government recently fulfilled its fifth guarantee by announcing Rs 1,500 per month to the womenfolk of the state aged above 18 years.

Similarly, the government restored the OPS, launched the Rs 680 crore Rajiv Gandhi Start-up Yojana for providing self-employment opportunities to the youth, introduced English as the medium of teaching in government schools and increased the procurement price of cow and buffalo milk to Rs 45 and Rs 55, respectively.

He said that to empower the farmers economically, the government has announced to raise the support price for organically produced wheat and maize at the rate of Rs 40 and Rs 30 per kg, respectively.

He said that the government has started Mukhya Mantri Sukh Aarogya Yojana under which all those above 70 years of age would be provided free-of-cost treatment in government hospitals. Besides, the wages of MNREGA workers have been enhanced by Rs 60.

PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh hailed the Chief Minister’s announcements and thanked him for dedicating projects of the PWD department amounting to around Rs 100 crore.

He said the government was committed to the welfare of weaker sections of society and was more considerate of empowering women.

Chairman of State Planning Commission Nand Lal expressed his gratitude to the Chief Minister for inaugurating and laying the foundation stones of developmental projects that had been pending for long.

Earlier, the Chief Minister dedicated around 25 development projects worth Rs 165 crore at Sarahan for the Rampur Assembly constituency.