Expressing confidence in the Congress’ victory in the Dharamsala Municipal Corporation elections, Agriculture Minister Chaudhary Chander Kumar on Friday termed the BJP a “divided house” and alleged that the Smart City project had turned Dharamsala into a “concrete jungle” due to poor planning and misuse of funds.
Addressing a press conference in Dharamsala, Kumar, who has been appointed senior observer for the Dharamsala MC elections by the Congress, claimed that the blueprint for the Smart City project was prepared during the previous Congress regime when current Dharamsala MLA Sudhir Sharma was the Urban Development Minister. However, he alleged that essential infrastructure such as the sewerage system was excluded from the project and accused the BJP of carrying out development works in a “haphazard” manner.
“The Smart City concept has been completely defeated. Dharamsala neither looks like a model town nor a developed city. Crores of rupees were spent, but people did not receive basic amenities,” he said.
The minister also questioned the construction of the Tulip Garden, alleging that it was developed on forest land without proper clearance and later handed over to the Forest Department. He demanded a detailed inquiry into alleged irregularities in Smart City works, including the installation of automatic bins and streetlights that are now defunct.
Defending the Congress government’s performance, Chander Kumar said the state government had fulfilled major poll guarantees despite financial constraints. He cited the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), procurement of cow milk at Rs 60 per litre and buffalo milk at Rs 80 per litre, and the upcoming Rs 235-crore dairy plant at Dhagwar. He also accused the BJP of using Central agencies such as the ED and CBI against opposition leaders and alleged that the party had a “culture of toppling elected governments”.
Responding to reports of voters being shifted between wards, the minister said objections could have been raised during the voter list revision process and assured that complaints related to the issue would be examined.