Himachal Pradesh News
Himachal MC Polls 2026: CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Promises Relief for Merged Areas Residents, Baghat Bank Depositors
With the Himachal Pradesh municipal elections nearing, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday made several key promises while addressing a public gathering in Solan during the final phase of campaigning for the civic body polls.
With the Himachal Pradesh municipal elections nearing, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday made several key promises while addressing a public gathering in Solan during the final phase of campaigning for the civic body polls.
The Chief Minister assured residents living in the “merged areas” that the state government would reconsider their exclusion from municipal limits after the Urban Local Bodies elections. Sukhu alleged that the decision taken by the previous BJP government in 2021 was politically motivated and had negatively impacted local residents.
During his speech, Sukhu also focused heavily on the ongoing crisis involving the Baghat Urban Cooperative Bank, a matter that has left thousands of depositors struggling to access their savings since October 2025. The Reserve Bank of India had imposed financial restrictions on the bank following alleged irregularities in loan distribution.
Attempting to connect emotionally with affected families, the Chief Minister said the government would examine the role of officials responsible for the financial mismanagement. He assured people that genuine depositors, especially small account holders, would not be left to suffer.
Highlighting his government’s development agenda, Sukhu said that despite financial challenges, work in sectors such as healthcare, education and social welfare had continued without interruption. He revealed that around Rs 1 crore had already been sanctioned for each of Solan’s 17 wards to accelerate local development projects.
The Chief Minister also addressed the ongoing water supply concerns in the region. He announced that the state Cabinet had decided to hand over water distribution responsibilities to the Jal Shakti Department to improve efficiency and ensure smoother supply to residents.
Launching a sharp political attack, Sukhu accused the BJP leadership of failing to protect Himachal Pradesh’s interests. He questioned why BJP leaders had remained silent over the alleged non-release of Rs 1,500 crore assistance that was reportedly announced after an aerial survey of monsoon-affected areas in 2025.
Seeking support from government employees and pensioners, Sukhu highlighted that his government restored the Old Pension Scheme for nearly 1.36 lakh employees during its first Cabinet meeting. He also claimed that pension arrears of retired employees above the age of 70 had been cleared.
The Chief Minister further stated that corruption in welfare schemes like Himcare had been reduced and claimed that Himachal Pradesh had witnessed major improvement in the education sector, rising from the 21st position in 2021 to the fifth position at present.
Continuing his criticism of the opposition, Sukhu alleged that the BJP in Himachal Pradesh was facing internal divisions, with different groups working against each other. He also claimed that factions within the party were attempting to weaken senior BJP leaders, including Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur and state BJP president Rajiv Bindal.
As campaigning intensifies ahead of the municipal elections, political observers believe issues such as local development, banking distress, pension restoration and water supply are likely to play a major role in influencing voters across Himachal Pradesh.
