Chief parliamentary secretary in Himachal resigns, again

Rajesh Dharmani, a chief parliamentary secretary in Himachal Pradesh, quit Saturday for the second time since assuming charge, party leaders said.

Dharmani earlier resigned in last October. Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri had then persuaded the two-time legislator to withdraw his resignation.

According to party insiders, he was not satisfied with the post of chief parliamentary secretary (forests) as it lacked "power". He, however, cited "no work allocation" as the reason for the quitting the post.

In the 16-month-old Congress government, Dharmani is the second leader to quit.

A civil engineer by profession, he is a two-time legislator from Ghumarwin in Bilaspur district.

Sources said Dharmani was upset as he was not being kept in the loop in the affairs of the forest department.

A loyalist of senior minister Vidya Stokes, Dharmani was initially eyeing cabinet berth in the Virbhadra Singh government. He was elevated as chief parliamentary secretary along with seven others last year.

Earlier, Rakesh Kalia had resigned after he was made secretary of the All-India Congress Committee.