Mantri won't canvass for BJP as Congress fields son

SHIMLA: BJP minister Anil Sharma has refused to campaign for the party candidate from Mandi constituency, from where his son

Aashray Sharma

is contesting on a Congress ticket.


BJP had asked Anil to attend a 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' event in Jahu, Mandi, as part of campaigning for party nominee Ram Swaroop Sharma on Sunday, but he told TOI on Saturday that he would not attend it.

The minister, whose ex-Union minister father

Sukh Ram

and son joined Congress on March 25, said he would not resign from the state cabinet either, until the party explicitly asked him to do so.

Aashray's candidature from Congress was announced on Friday. "How can I campaign against my son in Mandi parliamentary seat. I have informed the party I will campaign in Hamirpur, Kangra and Shimla parliamentary seats, but not in Mandi," Anil told TOI. He said he would keep neutral in Mandi by neither campaigning for his son nor for BJP.

Sharma said he was under "mental stress" because of the developments. He added he had informed CM Jai Ram Thakur about his son's plan to join the Congress when BJP had shown reluctance in fielding Aashray. "I've informed party general secretary Ram Singh about not attending Sunday's programne ," he said.