Congress candidate Anurag Sharma has been elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha for the lone seat from Himachal Pradesh.
Sharma was declared elected by the Himachal Vidhan Sabha secretary on Monday at Shimla, as opposition BJP had not fielded its candidate for the election, on March 5, the last date for filing the nomination papers.
The Congress enjoys absolute majority in HP Vidhan Sabha with 40 MLAs and BJP has 28 members in the house of 68.
The BJP had sprung a surprise during the last Rajya Sabha election held in February, 2024, when despite having just 25 MLAs, its candidate Harsh Mahajan had won the election in a tie as 6 Congress MLAs and three Independent MLAs supporting the Congress, had cross voted for him.
The disgruntled MLA, who had revolted against the Congress reportedly had grudges against the CM but candidature of Abhishek Manu Singhvi by the Congress High Command had also led to resentment within the Congress party leading to big embarrassment for the party.
BJP leaders were also looking to create bickering in the Congress MLAs this time also, however nomination of a grass root local candidate by Congress, their hopes were dashed and they had opted for not fielding a candidate for Rajya Sabha election, scheduled for March 16.
Several stalwarts of Congress like former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Anand Sharma, in-charge of HP Congress – Rajni Patil, former HPCC President and wife of six times former CM Virbhara Singh, Pratibha Singh, among other were vying for the Rajya Sabha nomination but Congress had nominated Anurag Sharma.
Sharma started his political career as an NSUI activist and later joined Congress.
