After Azad, Anand Sharma resigns from Himachal committee

New Delhi, Aug 21 (IANS) Upset for being ignored, Senior leader of the Congress, Anand Sharma has resigned from the Himachal Congress steering committee.

Sources close to Sharma said he has sent his letter to the Congress President after being sidelined from the working of the state Congress which goes to polls this year.

Rajeev Shukla, the state in-charge for the Congress, has not commented on the issue, and Congress sources said they did not know about the development.

The resignation comes after Ghulam Nabi Azad put in his papers after being appointed as the J&K campaign committee head. Both the leaders are part of the G-23.

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 in the party forums. He even took part in the Congress 'Gaurav Yatra' and addressed a press conference when Sonia Gandhi was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate 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 group, which has demanded sweeping reforms in the party.

The Congress President had on April 26 appointed Himachal Pradesh state Congress chief, CLP leader and Chairman of Campaign Committee. AICC had also announced eight other committees, including a Steering committee with Anand Sharma as Chairman and Asha Kumari as the convenor.

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 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 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 & 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.

"Chairman of the Steering Committee has in a letter to Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi has resigned.

"Mr. Sharma has assured Congress President that he will campaign for the Congress candidates."