BJP suspends former Himachal minister Anil Sharma from party

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday suspended former Himachal Pradesh power minister Anil Sharma from the party.

Sharma is the son of former Union Minister Sukh Ram, who had quit the BJP and joined Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

"Who so ever be, if he goes against the party line, he will have to face action. He (Sharma) went against the party line. So action has been taken against him," BJP National Secretary Tarun Chugh told ANI.

The Congress had fielded Sharma's son Aashray Sharma from Mandi parliamentary constituency.

Anil Sharma had to quit the Jai Ram Thakur cabinet after he refused to campaign against his son. The BJP had to field sitting MP Ram Swaroop Sharma in place of him.

The action was taken after a section of local leaders constantly build up pressure on the party to throw Sharma out of the party. Despite resigning from the party, Anil Sharma continued to be a BJP MLA and used every occasion to criticise the BJP government.