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Himachal Congress sticks to Sonia song amid parleys for Rajya Sabha seat
Former Congress president the first choice, party officials say; ex-members Anand Sharma, Vilpove Thakur also testing the waters
Hectic parleys and lobbying are underway within the Himachal Congress for the lone Rajya Sabha seat election for which will be held on February 27. Clamour, meanwhile, also continues to grow for former party president Sonia Gandhi contesting the polls from the state.
The Rajya Sabha seat will fall vacant as the term of Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) national president Jagat Parkash Nadda expires on April 2. Congress, which boasts of 40 MLAs in the 68-member Himachal assembly, is poised to bag the seat.
Nominations are to be filed on February 15 as per the Election Commission of India’s Sunday notification.
Congress’ local unit had earlier expressed its desire for Sonia Gandhi or her daughter and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra making their way to the Parliament’s Upper House from Himachal.
Both Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Pratibha Singh and chief minister (CM) Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu have batted for the 77-year-old Sonia Gandhi amid uncertainty of the Congress leader contesting the impending Lok Sabha elections from Rae Bareily — a seat that she has held since 2004.
“Sonia and Priyanka Gandhi remain the first choice, only then other names are being considered,” principal media advisor to CM Naresh Chauhan said.
A five-term Lok Sabha MP, Sonia Gandhi has curtailed her involvement in active politics in recent years owing to poor health.
Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma, who served as the deputy leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha from 2014 to 2022, for, one has found little favour. His association with the G-23 group, a loose bloc of dissenting leaders within the Congress, is being viewed as the major factor in him being sidelined from the conversation.
Sharma, who hails from Shimla, however, remains hopeful of a return to Rajya Sabha. He has been lobbying hard while state Congress leaders assembled in Delhi recently to deliberate on the preparations for both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha polls.
According to sources though, the choice of candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat has been left to the party high command.
Another leader who has been a Rajya Sabha member from the state, former Pradesh Congress Committee president Viplove Thakur, is also testing the waters. Thakur, who was a member of the Upper House from 2006 to 12 and again from 2014 to 2020 is also camping in the national capital with her supporters.
Leaders from the state’s tribal belt including Susheel Borangpa from Lahaul and Spiti has also held Rajya Sabha seats. He was a member from 1988 to 2000.
Meanwhile, names of former PCC chief Kaul Singh Thakur and All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary Asha Kumari are also doing rounds.
BJP president Nadda had been elected to the Rajya Sabha unopposed in 2018. Hailing from Bilaspur district, Nadda’s political journey has seen him hold various significant positions within the BJP setup. Starting as the party’s national general secretary, he eventually ascended to a cabinet minister role and later Rajya Sabha member.
Himachal sends three members to the Rajya Sabha members. The other positions are currently held by BJP’s Indu Goswami and Sikander Kumar.
Party invites candidates for Lok Sabha polls as well
The topic of candidates for the Rajya Sabha seat as well as the Lok Sabha was discussed in the first meeting of the screening committee chaired by former Union minister Bhakta Charan Das in New Delhi and attended by Sukhu, Pratibha Singh, party’s state in-charge Rajeev Shukla and deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri.
The PCC has invited applications on plain paper from party leaders, officials and workers for party tickets for the state’s four Lok Sabha seats. State Congress organisation general secretary Rajneesh Kimta according to the AICC said.
“Applications are being accepted from February 9 to 15. The application should be enclosed on plain paper with an amount of ₹10,000,” he said, adding that the applications will be accepted at the state Congress headquarters, Rajiv Bhawan, till 5 pm on February 15.
From the Kangra Lok Sabha seat, names of the former urban development minister Sudhir Sharma, a legislator from Nagrota Bagwan, and RS Bali, Himachal Tourism Development Corporation chairperson, came up for discussion.
Finding a formidable candidate in Hamirpur is also an uphill task for the Congress, with BJP leader and Union information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur being a four-time winner. Congress discussed the names of the Sukhu’s wife Kamlesh Kumari and the deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri.
Pratibha Singh and her son and public works department minister Vikramaditya Singh came up as possible candidates from the Mandi seat.
From the Shimla Lok Sabha seat, names of first-time legislator from Kasauli, Vinod Sultanpuri, and former chairperson of the party’s SC ST cell Amit Nanda are doing rounds.
BJP holds all four – Shimla, Hamirpur, Kangra and Mandi – seats in the current Lok Sabha.
