CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Highlights Harmony and Political Integrity at Annual Bhandara

Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu performed the 'Purnahuti' at the Secretariat's annual Bhandara, praising religious functions for promoting unity. He also addressed recent by-election results, emphasizing voter rejection of horse-trading and the victory of political integrity.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday performed the 'Purnahuti' in the havan of the annual Bhandara, organized by the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat employees and the Religious Sabha. Prayers were made for the state's peace and prosperity.

CM Sukhu lauded the Religious Sabha's efforts and stated that such religious functions foster collective harmony and well-being within the Secretariat community. He emphasized that all officers and employees of the Secretariat are like family to him. ''All the officers and employees of the Secretariat are members of my family, and as the head of the family, I have come to participate in this function,'' added CM Sukhu.

Notable attendees included Education Minister Rohit Thakur, MLA Neeraj Nayyar, Congress leader Surinder Mankotia, OSD to Chief Minister Ritesh Kapret, Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, and Sanjeev Sharma, President of the Secretariat Employees Association. Other dignitaries also joined. Earlier, on July 22, CM Sukhu's wife, Kamlesh Thakur, won the assembly by-elections in the Dehra constituency, defeating Hoshyar Singh of the BJP.

CM Sukhu expressed satisfaction with the by-poll results, marking them as a victory for people over money power. ''This is the victory of people over money power. The voters have delivered a strong rebuke to the politics of horse-trading and have voted to maintain political integrity in the state. It had been 25 years since a Congress candidate won in Dehra,'' he said. He further noted that the Nalagarh candidate also achieved significant victory, signaling a clear message against horse-trading.

The assembly by-polls were a setback for BJP, securing only two out of 13 seats, while the INDIA bloc secured ten, and an independent candidate won one across seven states. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)