Shimla, April 12:Himachal Power Minister Anil Sharma on Friday tendered his resignation to the Chief Minister, ending the uneasiness between him and CM Jai Ram Thakur, since his son Ashray was given the Congress ticket.
Highly-placed sources said Sharma, son of former telecommunications minister Sukh Ram, has sent his resignation by hand to the CM’s office here.“I want to put an end to the bitterness and escalating tension and save the CM from further awkwardness on the issue,” Sharma said in his letter.
It now remains to be seen whether the CM, who is in Mandi, accepts it or keep it pending. The BJP does want that Sharma should get sympathy and the party wanted him to resign rather than being dropped from the cabinet.The CM and the BJP were maintaining a policy of wait and watch on the fate of Sharma as a minister. Though it was certain that he would be dropped following his father and son returning to the Congress fold, the BJP wanted him to resign on his own rather than being asked to do so.
In fact, the CM at a public meeting in Kotli, the home turf of Sharma, on Thursday had remarked that one of his ministers was missing.
Sharma also had been peeved with the CM and the BJP over the alleged issuing of posters with his pictures and appeal on social media to vote for Ram Swaroop, the BJP candidate who is contesting against his son from Mandi.
He had made it clear to the party that he would not campaign against his son in Mandi but was willing to campaign for BJP candidates anywhere else in the state.
He has maintained that he fought the election on a BJP ticket so he will remain in the party and not join the Congress.
