Days after veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad put in his papers as the head of the Jammu and Kashmir Campaign Committee, the grand old party received another big blow on Sunday as its senior leader and former Union Minister Anand Sharma resigned from the post of chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Steering Committee. The assembly polls are scheduled to be held in the hilly state later this year.
Deputy Leader of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha Sharma said that he has resigned with a heavy heart from the chairmanship of the Steering Committee of the Congress for the Himachal Assembly polls. “As a self-respecting person, I was left with no choice.” He has, however, reiterated his commitment to the Congress ideology that runs in his blood.
In a series of tweets, he said: “I have resigned with a heavy heart from the Chairmanship of the Steering Committee of the Congress for the Himachal Elections. Reiterating that I am a lifelong congressman and remain firm on my convictions.” “Committed to Congress ideology that runs in my blood, let there be no doubts about this! However, given the continuing exclusion and insults, as a self-respecting person- I was left with no choice.”
Sources close to Sharma, who along with Azad are a part of the G-23, said that he has sent his letter to Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi and submitted his resignation from the post after being side-lined from the working of the state Congress which goes to polls this year. “He was feeling ignored and side-lined in decisions regarding the Himachal Pradesh assembly polls,” sources said.
Sources, however, said that Sharma would continue to hold the membership of the CWC member and other party post. Former Union Minister Rajeev Shukla, who is the in-charge for the Congress for Himachal Pradesh, has not commented on the issue. Sources said that he was not aware of the development.
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday quit as the J&K Campaign Committee head after being named by the party. He has conveyed his decision to the party leadership, sources close to him said. However, there has been no official word from either side.
Azad’s resignation has come as a surprise to many in the party as it was considered that he was consulted while making key appointments and was active on the party forums. He even took part in the Congress ‘Gaurav Yatra’ and addressed a press conference when Soni
ia Gandhi was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the National Herald newspaper case. Azad has been upset since being ignored for the Rajya Sabha after he retired as the Leader of Opposition in the Upper House.
Sharma too is one of the prominent leaders of the G-23, which has demanded sweeping reforms in the party. The Congress president on April 26 appointed Himachal Pradesh State Congress Chief, CLP leader and Chairman of the Campaign Committee. The AICC had also announced eight other committees, including a Steering Committee headed by Anand Sharma and Asha Kumari as its convener.
A brief note shared by sources close to Sharma’s office said that the letter says, “The multiplicity of committees and overlapping of functions required clarity for functional purposes. I had requested the GS (General Secretary) organisation and AICC in-charge to clarify the mandate of the Steering Committee to delineate the mandate and role of the Steering Committee.”
“Meetings of the Core Group of HPCC and senior leaders on Election Strategy and Preparations have since been held both in Delhi and Shimla. On 20th June meetings of Senior leaders including PCC President, CLP leader and Chairman Campaign Committee and those of other committees were held for Election preparations.”
“On 7th and 8th of August the in-charge and central AICC observers visited Shimla. Meetings of Core Group, senior leaders and HPCC General House were convened. The Chairman of the Steering Committee was neither informed nor invited for any of the meetings held, the letter further reads, adding that the Chairman of the Steering Committee in a letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi has resigned. Sharma has assured the Congress President that he will campaign for the Congress candidates.