Race on in Uttaranchal Cong for Sushma146;s RS seat

Sushma Swaraj8217;s threat to give up her Rajya Sabha seat if Sonia Gandhi becomes PM has found several critics in the Congress but there8217;s one place where it8217;s welcome 8212; Uttaranchal which she represents in the Upper House. Goings-on indicate a scurry for the seat is already on in the state Congress unit. Senior state Congress leaders have started lobbying for her seat. Dehra Dun district Congress president M.N. Faroqui welcomed Sushma Swaraj8217;s decision, saying she had done nothing for the state so she had rather quit.

Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member from Uttaranchal, Sangh Priya Gautam, is also due to retire in July. With the Congress losing four of the five Lok Sabha seats in the state, senior leaders have intensified lobbying to get into the Upper House by the easy route.