Anand Sharma, senior Congress leader, scuttled speculation regarding his meeting with JP Nadda, BJP president, on Thursday. He said that he would openly meet them, as both were from Himachal Pradesh, and had studied at the same university.
Sharma claimed that he was a “long-standing social and familial ally” of Mr Nadda. “It is a proud thing to have someone from my state, university, and be president of the ruling Party,” he said. Ideological differences don’t necessarily mean personal hatred or apartheid JP Nadda would be open to me meeting if necessary. That is my right. When asked about the reported meeting, he replied that he would not discuss speculation.
A former Union minister, Mr Sharma stated that the Himachal Pradesh University Alumni Association invited Mr Nadda and him to felicitate them.
According to the Congress leader, he also said that he talked with Mr Nadda via phone regarding attending the meet.
Sharma, a well-known member of G-23’s group of Congress leaders, had sought organizational overhaul and was critical of certain decisions made by the party leadership.