'Cong will put up united face in HP polls, G23 working to strengthen party'

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma on Thursday said the G23 grouping is working to strengthen the party, which will put up a united face in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls.

Sharma said this while addressing reporters here, days after he resigned from the chairmanship of the party's steering committee for the state citing "continuing exclusion and insults". The G23 is a group of dissident senior Congress leaders who have demanded organisational overhaul. Sharma is part of the group.

The senior Congress leader told reporters that the Congress must be renewed in those states where it has lost elections. "This is the wish of every Congressman," he said.

The Congress will make every possible effort to overcome shortcomings and contest the coming Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh unitedly, he added.

Speaking on the G23 grouping within the Congress, Sharma said it is working to make the party stronger.

"The G23 is working to make the Congress stronger. Giving suggestions for making the organisation strong is the need of democracy," said Sharma, who is also the Congress Working Committee member.

"Whatever we have said is registered with the Congress president. There are many steps that have been taken, we hope that more steps will be taken," he added.