Senior leaders demand action against Himachal Congress vice-president for remark against Anand Sharma

Taking issue with Himachal Congress Committee vice-president’s statement against Congress’ deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma and other 23 leaders who had expressed concern over the party’s state in a letter to party chief Sonia Gandhi, senior members of the District Congress Committee (DCC) demanded that disciplinary action be initiated against Kehar Singh Khachi.

The joint statement was issued by state Congress Committee member Arun Sharma, former DCC president (Shimla, Urban) Pradeep Singh Bhujja, PCC delegates Pradeep Verma and Harendra Singh Rawat, former Rohru block Congress president Ishwar Das Chawaru, former Jubbal-Kotkhai block Congress president Laiq Ram Oujta, former Shimla rural district Congress vice-president Lok Pal Chhajta, former Rampur block Congress president Satish Verma, former Theog block Congress president Brahma Nand Sharma, former Kasumpti block Congress president Bhupinder Singh Kanwar, and former Rajiv Gandhi Panchayati Raj Organization general secretary Om Prakash Verma.

The leaders said, “It was not Khachi’s place to question the loyalty of leaders who have been pillars of the Congress party for so long. The senior leaders have always been loyal to the Nehru-Gandhi family and casting aspersions on them is unbecoming and ridiculous.”

They said Sharma was both politically but emotionally connected to the Gandhi family and had never courted any controversy and as such his loyalty to the party was unquestionable. At a time when the party must unite, it is disheartening to see a party member make such disparaging remarks against senior leaders.

Khachi’s statement will only bring instability to the party and is a cheap publicity gimmick, the leaders said.