Ex-CPS Zile Ram Sharma set to join saffron party

Parveen Arora

Karnal, March 10

Former Assandh MLA and Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) Zile Ram Sharma is set to join the BJP tomorrow in Karnal. He will join the party in the presence of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Sharma, who was previously active in the Congress and had been demanding a ticket for the Assembly elections from Assandh, has very low chances of getting it as sitting MLA Shamsher Singh Gogi is considered to be a strong contender. Gogi is believed to be from the camp of former state president Kumari Selja.

Sharma had previously served as the district president of the Congress from 2000 to 2007 before joining the Haryana Janhit Congress under the leadership of former CM Bhajan Lal and Kuldeep Bishnoi in 2007.

He was elected as an MLA from Assandh in 2009 on the ticket of Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC). Later, along with four other MLAs, he joined the Congress and was elevated to the post of CPS by former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Haryana government. However, their joining in the Congress was challenged by HJC’s supremo Kuldeep Bishnoi, citing violation of the provisions of the anti-defection law. Just before the 2014 elections, the Punjab and Haryana High Court disqualified five MLAs, including Zile Ram Sharma, who had joined the Congress.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the Congress, Sharma said he was denied ticket both in 2014 and 2019, leading him to contest as an Independent from Assandh.

Served as Cong dist president

• Sharma had previously served as the district president of the Congress from 2000 to 2007 before joining the Haryana Janhit Congress in 2007
• He was elected MLA from Assandh in 2009 on the ticket of Haryana Janhit Congress
• Later, along with four other MLAs, he joined the Congress and was elevated to the post of CPS by former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda