Shimla, Aug. 30 -- Political tensions escalated in the Himachal Pradesh legislative assembly on Friday as the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the ruling Congress government of shutting down 1,859 institutions established during the previous BJP regime. The charge was strongly rebutted by deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri, who countered that the former government had merely made announcements without laying the groundwork for implementation.

Speaking in the assembly, leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur alleged that the Congress, during its three-year tenure, has primarily focused on dismantling institutions rather than governance.

"This government has only worked to close down the institutions opened by the previous ...