Himachal ministers accuse CMO of interference

New Delhi: The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) in Himachal Pradesh came under severe attack from several ministers during a meeting with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

The ministers complained about the CMO's interference in their departments at Monday's meeting, also attended by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

Among the ministers present were Mukesh Agnihotri, Dhani Ram Shandil, Chander Kumar, Harshwardhan Chauhan, Jagat Singh Negi and Rohit Thakur. Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president Pratibha Singh also attended the meeting called to discuss issues related to governance, evolving a consensus on the new party president and revamping the dissolved state unit.

The ministers further alleged that there was centralisation of power in the CMO, and inequitable and selective distribution of central funds among assembly constituencies, as preference was being given to only privileged ones.

The ministers also flagged the issue of vacancies in boards and corporations, insisting that these have not been filled ever since the Congress came to power in December 2022, as a result of which the BJP appointee continues to head them.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal and party in-charge for Himachal Pradesh Rajni Patil were also present in the meeting.