Self-respect is non-negotiable: Congress leader Anand Sharma

Anand Sharma is upset, as he was not invited for any party meetings. Pic/AFP

In a jolt to the Congress ahead of assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh, its senior leader Anand Sharma on Sunday resigned from the chairmanship of the party's steering committee for the state. Sharma, in a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, is learnt to have said that his self-respect is "non-negotiable" and he has resigned from the post, sources said.

His resignation comes soon after another leader of the G23 grouping Ghulam Nabi Azad resigned as chairman of the campaign committee in Jammu and Kashmir a few days ago. Sharma has told the Congress chief that he has been ignored in the consultation process. However, he told Gandhi that he will continue to campaign for the party candidates in the state.

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Sharma, who is considered among the tallest leaders of Himachal Pradesh, was appointed as chairman of the Steering Committee in the state on April 26. The grouping comprising prominent veterans including Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Manish Tewari has been insisting on genuine elections right from the block up to the CWC level.

Sharma, who is considered among the tallest leaders of Himachal Pradesh, has reportedly told the Congress president in his letter that his self-respect has been hurt as he has not been consulted or invited for any of the meetings of the party. The Congress is seeking to wrest power from the BJP in Himachal Pradesh in assembly polls slated later this year.

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