In first decision, Himachal CM Sukhu appoints aide denied poll ticket as political advisor

Sunil Sharma, who has in the past served as the president of the Congress’s Hamirpur district unit and the party’s state general secretary, was among the frontrunners for the party ticket from Hamirpur.

Sources within the Congress said that Sukhu too had sent Sunil Sharma’s name to the party high command. The party, however, initially named Ashish Sharma, a local ‘gausevak’ , as its candidate. Following protests from within the party, the Congress, on the last day of nomination, replaced Ashish Sharma with Dr. Pushpendra Verma. Ashish Sharma rebelled against the party, contested as an Independent and defeated Verma by 12,899 votes.

The appointment of Sunil Sharma, who was also a member of the Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission during the previous Congress government in the state, by Sukhu is being seen as the power centre shifting from Upper Himachal to Lower Himachal. However, sources in the party said, leaders from Hamirpur, Una, and Kangra might be given important portfolios in the Cabinet, which is likely to be expanded soon.

In another appointment, Danbir Thakur, a retired state administrative services officer, has been appointed advisor to Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri.

In the previous Jai Ram Thakur led-government, BJP general secretary Trilok Jamwal was the political advisor to the CM. Earlier, questions had been raised over “political interference” in day-to-day administrative and government affairs by the political advsiors.