Rousing welcome for Sharma at Kangra but 16 Congress MLAs with Virbhadra in Shimla

Sharma also announced that he would plan a few more visits to Himachal Pradesh but added that PCC president Kaul Singh Thakur would be incharge of the Congress’ campaign strategy for the upcoming polls.

Besides the PCC president Kaul Singh Thakur,former MP Viplove Thakur and AICC secretary Asha Kumari were among the prominent leaders who joined Anand Sharma at Kangra. Three other sitting MLAs including Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu,Rakesh Kalia and Rajesh Dharmani,besides the PCC general secretary Kuldeep Rathore and former minister B B Butail also attended the function.

Ironically Congress legislature Party leader Vidya Stokes – who earlier was identified as being part of Anand Sharma’s group – was conspicuous by her absence from the function but was also absent at Virbhadra’s function at Holly-lodge.

Earlier at a Tea Board of India function,Anand Sharma said the board has finalised a multi-purpose plan to boost production of Kangra tea in Himachal Pradesh from nine lakh kilos to Rs 20 lakh kilos annually. “ The Tea Board has asked the state government to do a detailed baseline survey to identify the areas presently under tea,abandoned and the area to be available for news plantation. We have also sanctioned Rs 34 lakh to the Palampur Agriculture University for research and development on organic tea cultivation practices,” Sharma added.

The union minister said Kangra tea will not be auctioned in the future but a separate window will be provided to preserve the identity of the tea and make people aware of its flavour and aroma. Sharma also announced financial aid for the mechanisation of the plucking process in the tea gardens,a demand raised by the tea growers who are facing labour shortage. He also declared the setting up of a Rs one crore Tea Museum at the Institute of Himalayan Bio-resource Technology at Palampur.