India, Aug. 14 -- Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu will hoist the national flag at Barsar in Hamirpur district on August 15, holding the state-level Independence Day function there in a move seen as an effort to increase his penetration in smaller towns ahead of next year's Assembly elections. Barsar has political significance for Sukhu, who hails from Hamirpur district. The constituency was represented by Congress MLA Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, who was among six party MLAs who rebelled against the chief minister during the Rajya Sabha polls in February 2024. The six legislators were disqualified from the Assembly. Lakhanpal later joined the BJP and was among two rebels who won re-election. Sukhu has earlier held state-level functions at Dehra and Pangi. The chief minister's Independence Day address from Barsar will also be live-streamed in schools across the state, a government spokesperson said. Meanwhile, the state government has imposed a cess of 60 paise per litre on petrol and high-speed diesel at the point of first sale in Himachal Pradesh, effective from midnight. The cess was proposed under an amendment passed by the Assembly last year. Sukhu had said it would provide a stable revenue source for welfare measures for orphans and widows.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.