HP CM Virbhadra Singh puts brave front, says not at all surprised with Sukh Ram and Anil Sharma joining BJP

With barely a couple of months left for the polls to the state assembly, the Congress has suffered a major setback. 

Anil Sharma, Himachal Pradesh Rural Development minister on Saturday announced his decision to join the BJP.

Sharma is the son of former Union Communication Minister Sukh Ram. A formal announcement in this regard is expected to be made on Sunday evening.

Sharma said he has been given a party ticket from Mandi. "I have been given BJP ticket from Mandi and the party has informed me about this,” he said.

Sharma has alleged that he and his father were being sidelined and ignored in the Congress party hence he decided to join the BJP. 

He alleged that the AICC General Secretary had invited Sukh Ram to attend the rally of Rahul Gandhi in Mandi but when he reached the spot he was asked not to attend the rally.

Is Sukh Ram not a member of the Congress?" he asked.

"I was not included in any of the committees for the assembly polls and when I asked about this from HPCC president, he said that my name was deleted at the higher level which hurt me and I decided to quit," he said.

The Mandi seat was represented by Sukh Ram from 1962 till November 1984, when he was elected to Lok Sabha.

Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said, “I'm not at all surprised. I knew they're contemplating this. It doesn't matter if they've gone.”

I'm not at all surprised. I knew they're contemplating this. It doesn't matter if they've gone: HP CM on Sukh Ram & Anil Sharma joining BJP pic.twitter.com/cN9dWLvYm8

— ANI (@ANI) October 15, 2017