BJP Minister not to campaign against son fighting on Cong ticket

Shimla: Power minister in the BJP government in Himachal Pradesh Anil Sharma has said that he would not campaign against his son Aashray Sharma, who has been declared the Congress candidate in Mandi.

A day after allocation of Congress ticket to Aashray Sharma from Mandi parliamentary seat, Anil Sharma told media that he would not campaign against his son. Sukh Ram's son Anil Sharma is the BJP MLA from Mandi Assembly segment which along with 16 other Assembly segments falls under Mandi parliamentary segment.

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As an elected BJP legislator from an assembly segment falling under the Mandi parliamentary seat, he is expected to campaign in favour of BJP candidate sitting MP Ramswroop Sharma and against Congress candidate Aashray Sharma.

Anil Sharma said, "I have already conveyed it to the BJP leadership after my father Sukh Ram and my son rejoined Congress on March 25 that if Aashray is given a Congress ticket, I would not campaign against him."

Asked about the issue, HP BJP President Satpal Singh Satti said, "Why media is following this issue. This is matter of his (Anil Sharma's) family. (Aap log kyo is mamle ke peeche parre hue ho. Ye unke parivaar ka mamla hai.)'

Pressed further, he said, "We will see, what to do (on this issue)."

The HP power minister said, "I am ready to campaign in favour of BJP candidates contesting on other seats except Mandi."

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Anil Sharma was HP minister during the Virbhadra Singh-led Congress governments in 1993 and 2012 but he along with his father Sukh Ram joined the BJP in October 2017, just before the last assembly elections.

Anil Sharma's son Aashray was seeking a BJP ticket from Mandi but the BJP preferred to renominate sitting MP Ramswroop Sharma.

Subsequently Aashray along with his grandfather rejoined Congress on March 25 and the Congress fielded him from Mandi on Friday.

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(PTI)