Overview

• Sharma sent his resignation to party president Mallikarjun Kharge to pave the way for reconstituting the Congress foreign affairs department with younger leaders
• He has chaired the department for about a decade since its last National Committee formation in 2018
• After stepping down, Sharma warned that the department has not been adequately consulted on key foreign policy decisions
• He remains a member of the Congress Working Committee and has offered to advise the next team during the transition
• With Sharma’s exit, the party must identify emerging talent to fill its foreign affairs body ahead of the planned reconstitution