Cases against Sukh Ram too old: BJP over his son joining party

Shimla: Under fire from Congress over induction of former Union telecommunication minister Sukh Ram’s son Anil Sharma in the party, BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi has said cases against Sukh Ram was too old.

“Jo beet Gayi wo baat gayi (let bygones be bygones). The law would take its own course,” he said yesterday. Anil Sharma who was a Cabinet minister in the Virbhadra Government till recently joined the BJP on October 15 and is now official candidate of the party from Mandi Sadar Assembly constituency.

The Mandi seat was represented by Sukh Ram from 1962 till November 1984, when he was elected to Lok Sabha and his protege D D Thakur won the seat in 1985 while the BJP wrested the seat in 1990.

In the 1993 Assembly poll, his son Anil Sharma won from Mandi but after Sukh Ram’s name surfaced in the Telecom scam, he was expelled from the Congress and formed Himachal Vikas Congress which entered into a post poll alliance with BJP and joined the government.

Trivedi yesterday claimed that the people of Himachal Pradesh would vote for change in attitude, system and ideologies and elect a fearless and corruption-free government in the state. “Corruption is the character of the Congress and each time that party is voted to power there is a rat race among the Congressmen to indulge in corruption,” he said.

About the the BJP’s Chief Ministerial face for the Assembly polls, Trivedi said not declaring the CM candidate is a part of the BJP’s strategy, but experienced and competent leader would be the selected for the post if the party wins the polls.