Shimla: Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) expelled former cabinet Minister and legislature from Mandi Assembly segment Anil Sharma from the party.
Anil Sharma had resigned from the Jai Ram Cabinet following his son Ashray Sharma being fielded unsuccessfully by the Congress in the Lok Sabha election from Mandi. Earlier, Ashray Sharma had sought ticket from the BJP, but after party denied him ticket, he left the party and joined the Congress and contested parliamentary election unsuccessfully.
Though Anil Sharma had resigned from the Cabinet, but he did not campaign for his son as this would have been a ground for his expulsion from the BJP. BJP had even cautioned him to choose between party or son. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, during parliamentary campaign, asked Anil Sharma to clarify his stand either campaign for BJP candidate or quit BJP.
Anil Sharma was also a cabinet minister of Panchayati Raj and Rural Development in previous Virbahdra Singh led government. However, he left the Congress party just before the assembly election and joined BJP. He had won assembly election from the Mandi assembly constituency and was rewarded by appointed as a Cabinet minister in the Jai Ram Government.
