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War of words: Jai Ram hurls ‘traitor’ jibe at BJP Mandi MLA
His remarks come a day after the former power minister accused the CM of lying about the development undertaken in Mandi
The no-holds-barred battle between chief minister Jai Ram Thakur and Mandi legislator Anil Sharma has intensified ahead of the Mandi civic body polls, with Himachal chief minister Jai Ram Thakur labelling the former Congress leader a ‘traitor’.
His remarks come a day after the former power minister accused the CM of lying about the development undertaken in Mandi: “Jai Ram Thakur has begun lying in the company of Mahender Singh Thakur. He is making false claims on development of Mandi town,” Sharma had said.
The war of words between the two stalwart BJP leaders began when the saffron party did not include Sharma, a local legislator from Mandi, in a panel constituted for the April 7 civic body polls. Instead, the CM entrusted the poll responsibility to Jal Shakti minister Mahender Singh Thakur. A peeved Sharma had announced that he will defy the party in the elections.
Responding to Sharma’s allegation, the CM, who was in Sunderngar on Sunday, alleged that Anil had secretly campaigned in favour of his son, Ashray Sharma, who had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections on a Congress ticket.
“First Anil’s family availed benefits while being in the Congress. The BJP also accorded them respect. However, Anil, not only gave up gave up his position in the Cabinet but has rebelled against the party on every front.”
Thakur said though Anil’s family had been in politics for a long time, there had been no development in Mandi. “As a BJP legislator, he should have campaigned for the party,” the CM said.
Sharma had on Saturday claimed that he was being marginalised. “I was not allowed to share the stage with him (CM). I received no invitation for the historic Shivratri mela. My son made the mistake of contesting on a Congress ticket. Why am I being punished?”
Anil had joined the BJP ahead of the 2017 assembly elections along with his father and veteran Congress leader Pandit Sukh Ram. He won the election from Mandi and was made the power minister in Jai Ram’s Cabinet.
