Anand Sharma had earlier represented the state twice before his current status as lawmaker from Rajasthan. (File photo)
Congress deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, Anand Sharma, resigned from the membership of the upper house today to pave the way for his return as a lawmaker from his home state of Himachal Pradesh.
Mr Sharma, whose term in the Upper House would have ended on Wednesday, was a member from Rajasthan. Top sources in the Congress had confirmed Mr Sharma will be the party's candidate for the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Himachal which falls vacant on completion of BJP member Bimla Kashyap Sood's term. Nominations for the seat will be filed by March 11 and the voting held on March 21. The results will be out the same day.
Mr Sharma had earlier represented the state twice before his current status as lawmaker from Rajasthan. If he gets elected from Himachal, this will be his fourth Rajya Sabha term.
The Congress has 36 members in the 68-member Himachal state assembly house where the BJP has 27. Four are independent members supporting the Congress and one of them belongs to Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP). Rajya Sabha is the council of states and its members are elected by legislators in the state assembly.
Mr Sharma will be elected unopposed to the house if the BJP decides not to field a candidate against him. A senior state BJP leader told NDTV, "Our options are open and the party high command and the state unit will take a call soon. We may spring a surprise."
Hectic lobbying was on for the seat for which the Congress has adequate numbers in the assembly. Party leaders close to state cabinet minister Vidya Stokes were pushing for her candidature. Another section was was backing former UPA minister Kapil Sibal who is representing Himachal Chief Minister Virbahdra Singh Sibal in the CBI, Income Tax and ED cases against him in the Supreme Court and Delhi High Court.