Happy with responsibilities at the Centre: Anand Sharma

"I am happy with my responsibilities in the Union Cabinet and putting in my best efforts to make some valuable contribution," he said when asked about the possibility of his return to state politics.

Rubbishing the charge of discrimination by the Centre against Himachal Pradesh, Sharma said prestigious institutions like IIT, Central University, NIFT and ESI Medical College and Hospital have been given to the state and Rs 3,000 crore funds spent, but Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal was allegedly trying to deny facts.

Funds amounting to thousands of crores have been provided to the state under various centrally sponsored schemes but these have either been misutilised or diversified by the state government, he alleged.

The Centre has always given special treatment to the state right from the time of first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru and the allegation of discrimination against Himachal was absurd, he added.

Referring to hike in prices of petroleum products and capping of LPG cylinders to six, Sharma said it was a painful decision taken with a heavy heart but there was no other alternative. The prices of petrol had jumped from USD 28-43 per barrel to USD 115 per barrel, he said, adding that the decision to dismantle the administered price regime was taken by the NDA government.

On the Bharat Bandh by opposition parties to protest against hike in petroleum prices, Sharma said this was relevant only if prices of petroleum products in international markets came down.

While referring to the development by the BJP government in the state, he accused, "It is government of father, son and father-in-law and ruled by coterie".