Himachal Politics: Union Minister JP Nadda Distances Himself from Chief Ministerial Speculation

Senior BJP leader and Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda on Saturday distanced himself from chief ministerial speculations, yet added that he will continue to work for the interests of Himachal Pradesh, his home state, while based in the national capital.

He expressed confidence that the BJP would return to power in Himachal Pradesh and replace what Nadda termed the "non-performing and inefficient" Congress regime in the state slated to go to the polls at the end of 2027.

“I am a Himachali but contented with my role in Delhi. I have no ambition to return to Himachal politics. But let me tell you, I will continue to work for the interests of Himachal Pradesh while based in Delhi,” he said in Shimla on Saturday, at the end of his two-day official visit.

Interacting with senior media professionals, Nadda mounted a scathing attack on the Congress government, blaming it for a complete collapse of governance, a lack of vision for the state’s development, financial disruptions, and running a regime of “cuts and commissions."

The union minister said that despite the centre extending all possible financial support to the government, a narrative was being built by the Congress government that the centre was not at all helping Himachal Pradesh.

“It is rather unfortunate that whatever financial help has been provided to the government has not been properly utilised; allocated funds were either returned, lapsed or even misappropriated. " No utilisation certificates were submitted. This hampered the flow of allocations to the government under various schemes, projects, and targeted works,” Nadda maintained.

In reality, the centre always stood up to the needs of the hill state and even went beyond the scope of hand-holding, whether it was during disasters or the expansion of health infrastructure and communication networks.

He maintained that instead of blaming the Centre, the state government should focus on improving governance and financial management. The Congress government has failed to transform opportunities into achievements despite unprecedented central assistance.

On governance, Nadda said, “The moral authority of the government has been eroded completely. The ministers fight in the cabinet meetings and remain at loggerheads with the CM. Senior bureaucrats are publicly leveling accusations about corruption against each other.”

“The prevailing atmosphere has adversely affected governance, forcing competent officers to seek assignments outside the state. There is also ad hocism at top positions, viz., the chief secretary and the director general of police."

 Asked why the centre can't sanction a financial package in view of the fiscal crisis, the union minister said the state government wants untied funds without accountability and intends to use them for paying salariesand itsd own luxuries. This is not possible for the centre as the track record of the government in three and a half years is very poor.

But why, till now, has the centre not provided Rs 1500 cr to the state, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced after his visit to flood-affected areas last year? When asked, Nadda alleged that the state government had submitted inflated proposals and later failed to respond to specific queries raised by the Centre.

What further shocks the centre is that 52 percent of the allocation made by the 15th Finance Commission was returned unutilised.

On discontinuation of the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG), the union minister asked, “The chief minister was not aware that the grant was scheduled to end?. And it is not only Himachal Pradesh but also 17 other states, a majority of these ruled by the BJP.

Nadda hailed the outcome of urban local bodies and PRI results, favouring the BJP, and this, he said, is a signal about a shift in public sentiment ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party’s strong performance in urban local body and panchayat elections indicated growing support for the party.

The Union Minister also clarified that the BJP's stand on the Old Pension Scheme remains unchanged, and the party will rather back the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), introduced by the Centre in 2025.

Needless to mention, the OPS promises made to the employees by the Congress during the 2022 assembly polls had queered the pitch for the BJP, and it lost power. 

Nadda, who had served Himachal Pradesh as leader of opposition and later twice as cabinet minister for health and forests before being tipped for his role at the national level. The party's Brahmin face, known for his organisational skills and administrative experience, was in the race for the chief ministerial post in the 2017 assembly polls. 

The BJP, however, decided to project former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal as the chief ministerial face. As Dhumal lost his Assembly seat, and, with it, a third opportunity to lead the state, the BJP high command chose five-time MLA Jairam Thakur, a prominent Rajput face, to head the government.

Political insiders maintain that Nadda never severed his links with state politics. Despite his rise to the national stage and his emergence as one of the BJP’s most influential leaders—enjoying the confidence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah—he always harboured a desire to play a larger role in his home state.