While Congress leadership is in the process of selecting candidates for Kangra and Hamirpur parliamentary constituencies of Himachal Pradesh, speculation is rife Congress high command may field senior Congress leader Anand Sharma to contest from Kangra .
Anand Sharma is a former Union Commerce, Industries and Textile Minister and has represented Himachal Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha three times – from 1984 to 1990 , 2004 to 2010 and from 2016 to 2022 . He was also elected to Rajya Sabha once from Rajasthan and remained Deputy Leader of the Congress legislature party in the Rajya Sabha from 2014 to 2022.
A working committee member of Congress party, Sharma hails from Shimla and was very active in NSUI and remained president of All India Youth Congress Committee . He had contested Assembly election from Shimla during 1982 Assembly election against BJP stalwart Daulat Ram Chauhan.
The Congress party has already nominated PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh to contest Mandi parliament seat against BJP candidate film actress Kanagana Ranaut and Kasauli MLA Vinod Sulatanpuri to contest Shimla (Reserve) seat.
The party is yet to announce candidates for Hamirpur and Kangra constituencies, while BJP has already announced party candidates for all four parliamentary constituencies.
By fielding senior leader Anand Sharma from Kangra the Congress leadership would make the contest very challenging for BJP as Himachal is the only state ruled by Congress at present in the north India , more so, since crucial by-elections in six Assembly constituencies are being held simultaneously with the parliament election.
A source in the Congress party said, “ The Central Congress leadership is seriously considering the candidature of senior Congress leader Anand Sharma to contest Kangra parliamentary seat.”