Shimla: Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday said discontinuation of the Centre’s revenue deficit grant had reduced Himachal Pradesh’s budget by Rs 8,000 crore to Rs 10,000 crore, but asserted that his govt had maintained financial discipline despite the setback.He assured that the state’s natural and water resources would be protected and the money generated from them would be utilised to make Himachal self-reliant. “Nobody will be allowed to loot Himachal’s wealth,” Sukhu said.Speaking to mediapersons at the state Secretariat after returning from Delhi, Sukhu claimed that 16 of the 28 sitting BJP MLAs would lose the next assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh, alleging that the opposition party was divided into five factions and would perform worse than in the previous polls.He said the BJP was struggling with internal differences and was making baseless allegations against the Congress govt to divert attention.Taking a dig at Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Sukhu said the BJP had to bring him to Himachal Pradesh to unite its five factions. Responding to Sarma’s criticism of the Congress, Sukhu said raising public issues and organising marches were legitimate rights of the opposition in a democracy.On Sarma’s reported remark about attending the next swearing-in ceremony in the hill state, Sukhu said he would be formally invited after the Congress returned to power in the state next year. Referring to the Congress rally in Delhi on Nov 1, Sukhu said enthusiastic public participation reflected support for his govt.He also backed Rahul Gandhi’s campaign against alleged electoral irregularities through Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and rejected the BJP’s allegations concerning electronic voting machines (EVMs).