Congress fields Anand Sharma from Kangra, his first Lok Sabha election

This is the first Lok Sabha election that Sharma will be contesting. In 1982, he had contested the Himachal Pradesh Assembly election from Shimla but lost to BJP's Daulat Ram Chauhan.

Ahead of the Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh in 2022, Sharma had reluctantly joined the party campaign. (Express photo)

In a surprise move, the Congress Tuesday fielded veteran leader and CWC member Anand Sharma as its candidate from the Kangra Lok Sabha constituency in Himachal Pradesh. Satpal Raizada, a former Congress MLA from Himachal Pradesh’s Una, has been fielded from the Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat in the state and will contest the general elections against BJP candidate and Union minister Anurag Thakur.

This is the first Lok Sabha election that Sharma will be contesting. In 1982, he had contested the Himachal Pradesh Assembly election from Shimla but lost to BJP’s Daulat Ram Chauhan.

He was elected to the Rajya Sabha for the first time in April 1984 and has been a member of the Upper House of Parliament for four terms. He was a Union minister during the UPA government under Manmohan Singh and was a deputy leader of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha till he retired in 2022.

The decision to field Sharma, a prominent member of the G-23 group of Congress leaders, comes a month after he wrote to AICC chief president Mallikarjun Kharge questioning the party’s aggressive campaign pitch for holding a caste census.

The party had “never engaged in nor endorsed identity politics” and argued that departure from the “historic position” is a matter of concern for many in the party, Sharma had written. Sharma had been upset with the leadership for not fielding him from Himachal Pradesh in the recent Rajya Sabha elections.

Overlooking him, the party had fielded Abhishek Singhvi, an outsider, which ended in a fiasco with six Congress MLAs and three independents supporting the government voting for the BJP nominee resulting in Singhvi’s shock defeat. Sharma will take on BJP’s state vice-president Rajiv Bhardwaj from the Kangra seat. The BJP had replaced its sitting MP Kishan Kapoor with Bhardwaj this time. Kapoor had won 2019 lok sabha elections with a record margin of 4.77 lakh votes.

According to Congress insiders, most of the party MLAs from Vidhan Sabha Assemblies falling in Kangra parliamentary seat are close to Sharma. They suggested his name to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who further conveyed it to the high command. His Brahmin background also played a role in him being chosen as the Kangra candidate.

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Ahead of the Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh in 2022, Sharma had reluctantly joined the party campaign. He had earlier resigned from the chairmanship of the Congress Steering Committee, claiming that he was not being consulted in decision-making and had cited discontent with the party’s affairs.

Hamirpur candidate Raizada won the 2017 Assembly elections and became an MLA for the first time. Congress’s Mumbai vice-president Patil will take on BJP candidate and Union Minister Piyush Goyal from Mumbai North Lok Sabha seat, which is considered one of the strongholds of the BJP with a sizeable Gujarati population.

Congress has now announced candidates for all the four seats in Himachal Pradesh. It had already named state PWD minster Vikramaditya Singh from Mandi Lok Sabha seat and party MLA Vinod Sultanpuri from Shimla.

Saurabh Parashar

Saurabh Parashar is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, primarily responsible for the publication’s coverage of Himachal Pradesh. He is a seasoned journalist with over 17 years of experience in print media, specializing in crime, legal affairs, and investigative reporting. Professional Background Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology (Hisar) and a Law degree from Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla. This legal background significantly informs his reporting on complex judicial and administrative matters. Career Path: Before joining The Indian Express in 2017, he spent 12 years with The Times of India. Core Beats: His primary focus is the socio-political landscape of the hill state, with a specific emphasis on the environment, forest conservation, drug menace (specifically "Chitta"), affairs related to tribal and archaeology and the unique challenges of governance in high-altitude regions. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His recent reporting highlights the critical intersection of policy, law, and social safety in Himachal Pradesh: 1. "Himachal’s battle against Chitta: Why the border areas are most vulnerable" (Late 2025): An investigative look at the transit routes from Punjab and the impact on local youth. 2. "Shimla ropeway clears key hurdle as 820 trees face the axe :According to the Forest Survey of India’s 2021 assessment, 47.21 percent of Shimla’s 5,131 sq km geographical area is under forest cover (Nov 17, 2025). 3. "Himachal to handover 2.7427 ha of non-forest land for Shimla Ropeway: Given the land’s non-forest nature, RTDC and the state will not require permission from MoEFCC" (Nov 18, 2025) 4. "How the centuries-old Jodidara tradition is fading in Himachal’s Trans-Giri region: Jodidara: a form of fraternal polyandry—has long been part of Hatti tribal culture in the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Uttarakhand. It is believed to have evolved to prevent division of ancestral land and maintain unity among brothers in the harsh, mountainous terrain" (Aug 18, 2025) Legal & Agricultural Affairs "Kisan Sabha hails SC’s setting aside Himachal HC order to remove orchards from forest land" (Dec 18, 2025): Covering a major Supreme Court victory for farmers, where a High Court order to remove fruit-bearing apple orchards was overturned. "Himachal Cabinet nod to new tourism policy; focus on home-stays in tribal areas" (Dec 11, 2025): Detailing the legislative push to decentralize tourism and bring economic benefits to Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur. 3. Governance & Environment "Forest rights and development: Why Himachal is seeking more leeway from Centre" (Dec 19, 2025): Reporting on the legal hurdles faced by the state in infrastructure projects due to the Forest Conservation Act. "Cloudbursts and resilience: How Himachal’s remote villages are building back better" (Nov 2025): Following up on the long-term rehabilitation efforts after monsoon-related disasters. Crime especially cyber crimes, crypto currency etc: crypto currency: "Agents in uniform, motivational speeches, lavish parties: How a Himachal crypto con went unnoticed:A serial conman, a ‘Nelson Mandela Nobel Peace Award winner', and retired policemen got together to pull off a Rs 1,740-crore fraud" (Nov 10, 2023) Signature Beats Saurabh is recognized for his tenacious reporting on the state's drug epidemic. His deep familiarity with the topography and tribal culture of Himachal allows him to report from remote locations like Spiti, Pangi, Shillai, which are often overlooked by national media. His legal expertise makes him a primary choice for covering the Himachal Pradesh High Court on issues ranging from local body elections to environmental PILs. X (Twitter): @saurabh_prashar . ... Read More

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