New Delhi: Senior Congress chief Anand Sharma Sunday stepped down because the chairperson of the get together’s overseas affairs division, citing the necessity to entrust youthful leaders with the cost.

Sharma, who was appointed to the put up in August 2018 when Rahul Gandhi was serving because the president of the Congress, stays a member of the get together’s working committee—its highest decision-making discussion board.

Whereas Mallikarjun Kharge is the get together president, Sonia Gandhi is the chairperson of the Congress parliamentary get together.

Sharma was the Congress management’s solely selection that had made the reduce for being a part of the Centre’s multi-party delegations fashioned within the aftermath of Operation Sindoor to argue India’s case in numerous world capitals.

Nonetheless, over the previous couple of years, he has discovered himself at odds with the get together management, together with Rahul Gandhi, over many points. 

Earlier this month, after Rahul, presently the Chief of the Opposition within the Lok Sabha, remarked that he agreed with US President Donald Trump’s evaluation that the Indian economic system was “useless”, Sharma took a divergent view.

“President Trump has triggered an upheaval and induced unprecedented disruption on this planet order by his utterances and actions. His feedback on India and its Financial system are belittling and unacceptable. India has withstood pressures & threats up to now, & emerged stronger. President Trump is mistaken that India doesn’t have choices. Because the fourth largest economic system India has resilience & inherent energy to have interaction with the world on rules of equality & mutual respect…” Sharma wrote on X on 4 August.

President Trump has triggered an upheaval and induced unprecedented disruption on this planet order by his utterances and actions. His feedback on India and its Financial system are belittling and unacceptable. (1/4)

— Anand Sharma (@AnandSharmaINC) August 4, 2025

Sharma, who was the minister of commerce and trade in UPA II, was within the Rajya Sabha until April 2022. As a part of the get together’s G-23 ginger group in 2021, he had additionally sought sweeping reforms within the organisation.

Final 12 months, he was reportedly upset after being neglected for renomination to the Higher Home from Himachal Pradesh. In March 2024, Sharma had written to Kharge, questioning the Congress’s demand for nationwide caste census, which is the central focus of Rahul Gandhi’s politics.

Sharma had written {that a} caste census wouldn’t simply quantity to a “basic departure” from its long-standing coverage, however can be “misconstrued” as disrespecting the legacy of former prime ministers Indira and Rajiv Gandhi.

Reacting to studies of the resignation, his colleague within the overseas affairs division, Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari, mentioned that Sharma’s understanding of overseas affairs is astute and incisive, particularly on Africa.

“As we had been collectively on the identical politico-strategic delegation collectively in Finish Could – early June 2025 we had been drastically benefited by his insights . He has spent shut to 5 and a half a long time of his life within the service of Indian Nationwide Congress. Wishing him a really wholesome and fulfilling life,” Tewari wrote on X.

Had the pleasure and honour of working with @AnandSharmaINC for over 4 a long time.

His understanding of Overseas Affairs is astute. Particularly on Africa the depth of his information is incisive.

As we had been collectively on the identical politico- strategic delegation collectively in Finish Could -… https://t.co/AVKVGe8YFR

— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) August 10, 2025

In his resignation letter, Sharma additionally mentioned that the overseas affairs division of the get together has established an “institutional mechanism for the alternate of management delegations with fraternal political events and worldwide organisations”.

“I’ve had the privilege to have been proactively related to all main worldwide initiatives of the Congress because the mid Nineteen Eighties as Indian Youth Congress president. These included: NAM youth convention 1985 and the historic ‘Anti Apartheid Convention’ in 1987. These had been universally acclaimed,” he wrote.

(Edited by Mannat Chugh)

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