Shimla: 

Himachal Pradesh Power Minister Anil Sharma resigned from his post today, days after the Congress fielded his son Aashray Sharma as its candidate from the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency.

Anil Sharma has been under pressure from his own party after his father, former Union minister Sukh Ram quit the BJP and joined the Congress along with Aashray Sharma.

He refused to campaign for the BJP candidate who is contesting against his son for the Lok Sabha seat, and even suggested that he was willing to quit the ministry over it.

Mr Sharma told reporters that though he has now resigned from the ministry he remains with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

He is the BJP MLA from the Mandi segment of the Lok Sabha constituency and the party expected him to campaign for its candidate Ramswaroop Sharma.

Mr Sharma had said he will keep away from Mandi and will campaign neither for his son nor the BJP candidate.