Rajya Sabha Elections: Congress releases candidate list; Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Anurag Sharma names surprise many
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The political contest for 37 Rajya Sabha seats across the country has intensified. After the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced its list of candidates, the Congress has now revealed its nominees as well. The party has released a list of four candidates, including senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Vem Narendra Reddy, Phulo Devi Netam, and Karmveer Singh Bauddh.
However, the party surprised many by nominating Anurag Sharma, the Congress district president of Kangra in Himachal Pradesh, for the Rajya Sabha seat from the state.
Delay and suspense lead to unexpected names
The Congress list has created considerable discussion in political circles. Questions had been raised over the delay in announcing the candidates. Earlier, party leaders had maintained that the final decision would be revealed only at the last moment.
Following this strategy, the party fielded a prominent leader like Abhishek Manu Singhvi while also choosing Anurag Sharma from Himachal Pradesh, a move that has caught many political observers off guard.
CM Sukhu says ‘democracy will not be sold’
Before the list was officially released, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had addressed the delay in announcing the candidate. He had said that the name of the Congress candidate for the state’s lone Rajya Sabha seat would be revealed at the time of filing the nomination on Thursday.
Speaking to the media during the Holi festival, Sukhu expressed confidence that the candidate would be from Himachal Pradesh. Referring to previous political developments, he said there was neither suspense nor fear regarding the election and asserted that democracy would not be allowed to be sold this time as it allegedly happened earlier.
Who is Anurag Sharma?
Anurag Sharma, who has been nominated by the Congress for the Rajya Sabha from Himachal Pradesh, was recently appointed as the district president of Kangra by the party. Kangra is considered the largest and politically most significant district in the state.
He is believed to have a strong connection with grassroots party workers. Political analysts say the Congress leadership may have given him this responsibility keeping the 2027 Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections in mind.