Vinod quits from Congress post

CHANDIGARH, May 2: Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee chief Vinod Sharma today submitted his resignation to Congress president Sonia Gandhi quot;in the party8217;s interestquot;, and promptly put into motion heated politicking for a successor. And no wonder, as the CTCC president is automatically the chief runner for the party election ticket. Till his resignation Sharma was considered a strong Congress candidate for the lone Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat. Now, equations in Chandigarh change.

He resigned after Sonia Gandhi on Saturday asked him to tender his resignation in the wake of his son Manu8217;s alleged involvement in the murder of a Delhi model, Jessica Lal, at the Tamarind Court restaurant in Qutab Colonnade in Delhi on Friday.

The alleged involvement of Sharma8217;s son has cast a shadow on his political fortunes. Although Sharma refused to comment on the political repercussions of the incident, party men fear that his resignation has not only come as a setback to Sharma8217;s own career, but also as a jolt to theparty. The party rank and file is worried about the prospects in the forthcoming Parliamentary polls in the wake of this incident.

Congress men also consider that the episode will scuttle Sharma8217;s political career, whose departure from the political scene will prompt the emergence of two main groups in the UT.