The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh has prioritised liquor vends over schools in the name of resource mobilization, BJP leader and former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur charged on Saturday.

Development has come to a standstill and "lockout" has become the buzzword under the government led by Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the leader of opposition in the assembly further alleged.

Addressing an event organised to honour veteran BJP workers in Mandi, Thakur claimed that a liquor vend was opened near an anganwadi and when local residents protested against it, the Congress government shifted the anganwadi.

It did not move the liquor vend and this was done in the name of resource mobilization, he added.

"Development has come to a standstill and lockout has become the buzzword under the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, which is closing down schools and extending the duration for opening liquor vends," he said.

The Congress came to power with the promise of changing the system, but its focus now was closing down institutions and halting the development process, he said in a statement issued here.

Lauding the hard work and dedication of workers in strengthening the party, he said they were the backbone of the party.

The central government has scripted a history with its development initiatives in the past nine years and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being hailed not only in India but across the world, Thakur added.

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