In what is being seen as a bid to contain the factionalism in the Congress, party’s prominent leader and former Union minister Anand Sharma, whose resignation from the steering committee stirred the political circles, on Wednesday held a close-door meeting with HPCC chief Pratibha Singh at state headquarters Rajiv Bhawan.
Sharma, who is miffed with the party high command for ‘ignoring’ him over party affairs in Himachal, reached Shimla to hold consultations with party leaders over his future course and clarified that he would campaign for the Congress in the upcoming elections. On his differences with the party high command, Sharma said it is between him and Sonia Gandhi. “I am also a part of the All India Congress Committee and its member for 51 years. In a democracy, some issues come up and it is our duty that to apprise the leadership of the same. That is limited to only this extent,” he said.
“Factionalism is a matter of concern, which may hurt our future prospects,” Sharma said, adding, “I am hopeful that the party will put up a united fight.”
“I’m a senior leader of the Congress and would work towards ebbing the factionalism in the party,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“I’m a senior leader of the Congress and would work towards ebbing the factionalism in the party,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}‘Tickets should be allocated on merit-basis’
“Tickets in Himachal Pradesh should be solely allocated on merit basis. Candidates should be picked among the workers. The party should choose candidates who have a good image. Nobody should give weightage to any faction and the candidates should be committed to the party, not to individuals,” he said while making a veiled attack on his detractors.
“I can say that if the Congress rises above some challenges, which every democratic party has, and not be burdened by the factionalism, Himachal is in for a change,” Sharma said.
He reiterated that he never said that he will not work for the Congress. “I have dedicated my life to the Congress and this relationship cannot wane on the fag end of the life,” Sharma, 69, said.
On a question about his meeting with BJP national president JP Nadda in Delhi, the Congress leader said, “What does our culture teach us? Our ideology may be different. But it would be better for the country if there is no place for personal animosity in politics. In a democratic setup, there are different ideologies, different thinking and different viewpoints, which are needed.”
“Elections are a part of the democratic process and not an India-Pakistan war,” he added.
At the same time, he took a jibe at Nadda’s comments that Himachal progressed rapidly due to BJP’s double engine government. “I and Nadda ji have the same alma mater and we share a very good rapport. None of the engines, neither the state nor the central, is working,” he added.
AICC secretary in-charge of Himachal affairs Tejinder Pal Singh Bittu was also present in the meeting that lasted two hours.