Congress Surprises with Anurag Sharma as Himachal Rajya Sabha Pick

Sharma, considered close to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, is set to file his nomination later in the day following a meeting of the Congress Legislative Party. He has also served as the president of the Billing Paragliding Association.

The election to the lone Rajya Sabha seat from the state will be held on March 16, following the completion of the term of BJP MP Indu Bala Goswami on April 9.

According to the election schedule, the last date for filing nominations is March 5, while scrutiny of nominations will take place on March 6. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until March 9. Polling, if required, will be conducted between 9 am and 4 pm on March 16, with counting of votes scheduled for 5 pm the same day.

Sharma's nomination comes as a surprise, as the names of former state Congress president Pratibha Singh, former Union minister Anand Sharma, and the Chief Minister's political adviser Sunil Sharma were widely considered frontrunners for the seat.

The Congress had appointed Anurag Sharma as president of the District Congress Committee, Kangra, in January this year, a move seen as part of the party's effort to strengthen its organisational structure in the state's largest and politically most significant district.

Kangra district holds considerable political importance in Himachal Pradesh due to its size and electoral influence.

Sharma hails from a politically active family. His father was closely associated with the late Congress leader Pandit Sant Ram and had been involved in public service for several decades. Sharma himself has been active in student politics since 1995 and has held various organisational positions at both the district and state levels within the party.

- ANI