New Congress Govt is free to review decisions of previous Govt, says former HP CM Jai Ram Thakur

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], December 14 : Himachal Pradesh former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday said that the new Congress government in the state is free to review the decisions of the previous government.
He said that simultaneously, they should also keep in mind that any decision they want to revert and cancel was taken in the public interest. He said if the Congress government terminates those decisions the opposition has the legal options open to challenge it in a court of Law.
"If they will shut the institutions or offices that have been open in the public interest and for their convenience, then certainly legal actions are open for us and along with it, people's movement will be against the government in the entire state. If the government will keep a way of working arbitrarily, then we will have these options." said Jai Ram Thakur.
He also alleged that Congress has many people in the fray as Deputy Chief Minister.
"We readily accept public opinion and we have. Congratulations to them and have given our best wishes. In Himachal Pradesh, a new start has begun of having a deputy chief minister along with the chief minister. Currently, only one deputy chief minister has been formed, but many are contesting for the same. Chances in that direction are that they think it is a way to control the chief minister to keep a check on him," said Thakur.
He also said that there is no regional balance in the formation of the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of the government.
"Secondly, if I talk about regional balance, it seems there is a lack of it. But I don't have any problem with it as it is their party's decision. The Chief Minister came to meet me and we talked," said Thakur.
"I gave my best wishes to him and I also said that I hope that he will begin with a good start, but the order that has been passed yesterday without the cabinet formation, in one of the orders it seems that in Himachal Pradesh whatever decisions have been taken by the government since April 1 be it opening of institutions or development or big projects that we have sanctioned, they have said that they will review it and later they will decide if they want to open it or not," he added.
He said shutting down the institutions will not be in the larger interest of the state.
"I feel they need to understand that the code of conduct has been implemented recently, but the working period of an effective government and the institutions that have opened at that time and are functionalized after that there is no propriety of closing them. It has never happened earlier than today. When our government was formed, we ran all the institutions that were running earlier. We did not shut down any institution," said former CM.
"They have again started with a feeling of revenge. We did not do it in our tenure, and they started with revenge. They can review it. If they find any fault they can strengthen it, but with the intention, they are saying it, it proves that they are moving towards a vendetta. I feel it's unfortunate and in Himachal Pradesh, they need to move ahead, not go backward," he added.
He said that the people of the state have expectations of the commitments made to the people of the state.
"I would also like to say that the way this government has been formed, a good message has not come out. The commitments that they have made, we will see how they will fulfil they. I feel the Chief Minister should first look at the financial position of the state and later he can think about the decisions they have made on how to implement it ahead. An unfortunate situation trying to recreate what happened 5 years ago," said Thakur.
He said that Congress does not have any intention to improve the financial health of the state.
"I am saying it clearly that the government has all the right to review the work, but shutting down the functional institutions will be a state of mind of working with a feeling of political revenge. I would suggest they not opt this way as we come from almost the same background. He should take decisions at his discretion. We all want Himachal to move ahead and we will support them in it.
"It will have a minimal impact. It is just a way to send a message or to create news headlines. It won't strengthen the economy of the state, but the chief minister, deputy chief minister, and other people who have gone to Delhi to become the deputy CM and asking for the whole protocol along with Pilot and Escort. They want Z+ security. So, it is a ridiculous situation that we don't even expect them to improve the economy of the state. This is not the Congress culture," He further added.