Overview
- At a Chandigarh press briefing on Thursday, the state BJP chief accused the two rival parties of coordinating to divert attention from state issues and warned such rhetoric is risky in a border state.
- He claimed Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann acknowledged Rs 13,000 crore in central disaster-relief receipts, with only Rs 477 crore spent and the remainder allegedly misused by previous governments.
- To counter criticism of the Union government, he cited increases in the agriculture budget, PM-Kisan transfers totaling Rs 4.27 lakh crore, higher fertiliser subsidies, and greater MSP procurement under the BJP.
- He argued central funds paid for canals, water channels and stubble-management efforts in Punjab, accusing the state leadership of taking credit without acknowledging New Delhi.
- He questioned the non-implementation of a draft agriculture policy pending since October 2023 and said Congress has failed as an opposition while predicting voter backlash in 2027.