Decision to join BJP taken in a haste, but right: Anil

Tribune News Service

Mandi, October 16

Strong opposition from the BJP at the block level in Mandi Sadar has put Rural Development Minister Anil Sharma in a fix.

Sharma today accepted that circumstances forced him to take the decision of joining the BJP in a haste. He called a meeting of his loyalists for consultation and barring a few BJP-backed gram panchayat pradhans, a majority of his supporters attended the meeting.

Yesterday the Block Committee of the BJP had threatened to submit resignations from their post if the BJP high command did not review its decision. The move of the block committee surprised Anil Sharma which forced him to rethink over his decision after consultations with the loyalists.

Talking to reporters, he said, “The decision was taken in a haste to protect the honour of my family because Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh insulted my father Sukh Ram during a Congress function by saying that he was Aaya Ram and Gya Ram.”

“I have not consulted my loyalists before joining the BJP but yesterday I felt that it is the need of the hour to take their views to reach a conclusion. Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu is in touch with me and is persuading me to review my decision,” he remarked.

He said, “After consultation, a majority of the loyalists supported my decision and now I am confident that my decision is right and I will work with the BJP dedicatedly.”

Recalling the days of the coalition government of the BJP and the Himachal Vikas Congress (HVC) between 1998 and 2003, Sharma said he had cordial relations with its leaders since then and the BJP first time ruled the state for full tenure with the support of the HVC.

The HVC was a faction of Sukh Ram loyalists, who left the party in 1998 before the Assembly elections.

On the opposition by some local BJP leaders, Anil Sharma said he was expecting that the BJP high command would intervene and sort out the issue to avoid any damage to the party.

Senior BJP leader and former Panchayati Raj Minister Jai Ram Thakur said, “We welcome the decision of the BJP high command and the induction of Sukh Ram and his family will strengthen the party in Mandi. All issues will be sort out amicably according the directions of the BJP high command.”

I have not consulted my loyalists before joining the BJP but yesterday I felt that it is the need of the hour to take their view to reach a conclusion. Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu is in touch with me and is persuading me to review my decision. I am confident that my decision is right and I will work with the BJP dedicatedly. —Anil Sharma, Rural Development Minister