Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Monday launched a sharp counter-attack against the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over its briefcase demonstration inside the Assembly premises and its proposed chargesheet, accusing the party of being the originator of a culture of corruption in the state. Sukhu, who had returned from visits to Delhi and Varanasi before attending the Assembly session in Shimla, addressed the media directly from the Assembly.

Corruption Claims and Counter-Claims

CM Sukhu categorically stated that not a single minister in his three-year government has faced a corruption allegation, contrasting this with what he described as the BJP's own legacy of graft. 'Honest people don't need briefcases,' he said, adding that the government operates on a zero-tolerance approach against corruption and that 'many more names will be revealed to the public with solid facts' in the coming days.

On the BJP's briefcase protest, Sukhu was pointed: 'When nine MLAs were sold, briefcases were discussed in the state. Now, the money given has run out, so BJP leaders are roaming around with empty briefcases.' He argued that if the BJP genuinely wanted to protest inflation, its leaders would have brought briefcases filled with onions and sugar to distribute among the public.

BJP's Chargesheet Turned on Its Head

Responding to the BJP's proposed chargesheet against his government, CM Sukhu noted that the same individuals named in the BJP's own 2017 chargesheet are now the ones preparing it. He specifically pointed out that the 2017 document levelled serious allegations against Sudhir Sharma and Rajendra Rana — both of whom are now members of the BJP — and that Harsh Mahajan's name appeared in the same chargesheet in connection with a cooperative bank case. When the government moved to act on those cases, he said, the entire BJP rallied in defence of the accused. 'The Leader of the Opposition is only trying to save his own chair,' Sukhu said.

National Anthem Row and Constitutional Legacy

On the national anthem controversy that has swirled around the Assembly session, CM Sukhu said the national anthem and national song are 'historical contributions of the Congress.' He argued that India's democratic foundations were laid by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, and that the BJP was manufacturing controversies to deflect attention from its own record.

Legal Wins and Vigilance Drama

The Chief Minister cited a ₹401 crore legal victory in the Wildflower Hall case as evidence of his government protecting the state's financial interests. He also noted that senior advocate Kapil Sibal has argued strongly in the BBMB case, with the verdict now reserved.

Dismissing the BJP MLAs' visit to the Vigilance Headquarters as political theatre, Sukhu said: 'The leaders are going with 10-15 MLAs as if they had fought in the War of Independence. The investigating agencies are only asking for documents and the names of contractors; this is being unnecessarily turned into political drama.'

Cabinet Expansion: No Timeline Yet

On the question of cabinet expansion, the Chief Minister was non-committal, noting that his government still has one year and four months remaining in its term. He recalled his shared history with legislator Sunder Singh Thakur from their days in student politics under the NSUI, but said the timing of any announcement would be revealed only when the moment is right. The political standoff in the Himachal Assembly is expected to intensify as the session continues.