Won’t quit, says Kamal Sharma

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 8

Beleaguered Punjab BJP president Kamal Sharma has decided to stick to his party post, in spite of the rising clamour not just within his party, but also in the Akali- BJP alliance, seeking his resignation. Claiming innocence, Sharma said he could not be punished for the sins committed by others.

Ever since it came to light that Sharma’s personal assistant and two other BJP leaders from Ferozepur (which is also Sharma’s hometown) were involved in a case of corruption, money laundering and drug smuggling, Sharma has been fighting a lone battle within the party.

While some of his rivals within the state BJP and Akali Dal’s Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal have sought his resignation, barring a select few, other leaders and some BJP ministers in the state have refrained from come to his aide, so far. Political observers feel the timing of the case (state BJP chief’s election is just a few months away and his “dis” association with the Akali Dal of late) definitely has some role to play in the political turmoil. With the other faction in the BJP (led by Avinash Rai Khanna-Vijay Sampla) cosying up to the Akali Dal, Kamal Sharma camp feels he is being “fixed” for his recent outbursts against Akalis.

Down by these revelations, but certainly not out, Sharma today said there was no question of his resigning from the post of party president. “I am the one who sacked these men from the BJP once I learnt of their involvement in the case in Ferozepur. I asked them to cooperate with the police and told the police to investigate the case without any bias. Should I resign for exposing them?” he said.

When asked why he did not apply the same yardstick to himself as to Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia, while seeking the latter’s resignation a few months ago, Kamal Sharma said he had demanded Majithia’s resignation only after summons were issued to him by Enforcement Directorate.