4 min readShimlaFeb 19, 2026 09:56 PM IST
First published on: Feb 19, 2026 at 09:56 PM IST
Political attacks and counterattacks on the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) continued on Thursday with Leader of Opposition (LoP) Jairam Thakur accusing the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh of attempting to “divert public attention by making unwarranted remarks”, while the ruling party stating that the saffron party’s real stand has been exposed.
Addressing a press conference, former chief minister Thakur said the real issue was not whether the RDG found mention in the Union Budget, but that the state government had been complaining of a financial crisis even when the grant was being released. He said that following the recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission, if the RDG had been discontinued, it was now the responsibility of the present government to ensure effective fiscal management instead of blaming the Centre or previous regimes.
Referring to the Assembly proceedings, he said discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s Address was a constitutional tradition, but the government was intent on bringing a political proposal on the RDG.
The Opposition, the former CM said, participated in the debate and highlighted the government’s “failures” of the past three years with facts. However, BJP legislators were denied an opportunity to correct “inaccurate claims” made during the Chief Minister’s reply, forcing them to protest in the Well of the House.
Thakur asserted that the BJP stood firmly with the interests of Himachal Pradesh and said the government’s inability to present its case effectively could also be a reason behind the grant’s discontinuation. “Economic challenges cannot be resolved through political speeches; they require fiscal discipline and concrete policy,” he said.
Citing the Finance Commission data, he stated that during the 12th and 13th Commissions under the UPA, the state received around Rs 18,000 crore, whereas under Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 14th and 15th Commissions, assistance rose to about Rs 89,254 crore.
He also accused Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of presenting contradictory debt figures in the Assembly, saying such inconsistencies eroded public trust. While borrowing was routine for governments, misrepresentation of financial data was a serious concern, he added, warning the BJP would counter any “misleading narrative” with facts.
‘Thakur’s position changed within a few months’
Responding to the allegations of the LoP, Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan and Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani stated that the BJP’s real stand on RDG has now been exposed to the people of the state.
In a joint statement, the cabinet ministers said that the same BJP leaders who are opposing RDG today had earlier forcefully argued before the 15th and 16th Finance Commissions that Himachal Pradesh deserved the grant, citing its limited financial resources and challenging geographical conditions.
The ministers questioned why Thakur’s position appears to have changed within a matter of months. They asked him to clarify to the people why he and his party now seem to be “acting against the interests” of Himachal Pradesh. In their view, the BJP has become so focused on opposing the Congress government that it has “lost sight of the state’s welfare”.
They further criticised BJP leaders for portraying funds received under central government schemes as financial aid, arguing that such funds are the rightful entitlement of the state’s people and not special favours. The ministers said these explanations are unconvincing and will not be accepted by the public.
The Congress leaders also noted that the BJP has yet to clearly state its position on RDG. They said the people of Himachal Pradesh deserve to know whether the BJP supports discontinuing the grant. According to them, RDG is a constitutional entitlement under Article 275(1) of the Constitution.
Chauhan and Dharmani also alleged that during the recent Assembly session, the BJP exposed its true position by opposing a government resolution brought under Rule 102 seeking the restoration of RDG for the state. They added that BJP MLAs had previously failed to support a resolution calling for special financial assistance for those affected by natural disasters.
Referring to the Assembly proceedings, he said discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s Address was a constitutional tradition, but the government was intent on bringing a political proposal on the RDG. 
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