Shimla, Feb 23 (UNI) The ruling Congress in Himachal Pradesh is pacing its move on announcing a candidate for the March 16 Rajya Sabha election, even as the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) controversy gathers political momentum.
With the Election Commission issuing a notification on February 26 fixing March 5 as the last date for nominations, the Congress leadership appears keen to keep its cards close to its chest. The term of sitting Rajya Sabha MP Indu Goswami ends on April 9.
Congress insiders indicated that the delay in naming a nominee is part of a broader strategy — one that intersects directly with the RDG issue, currently being projected as the most pressing financial concern of the hill state.
The Sukhu government has taken up RDG from a fiscal matter to a political campaign plank, accusing the BJP-led Centre of compromising Himachal’s financial stability.
The Chief Minister has taken the issue to the national stage, arguing that curtailment or uncertainty over RDG would severely impact development works, salaries, pensions and welfare schemes in a debt-stressed state.
Government sources suggest that intense discussions over RDG have been taking place at Himachal Bhawan and Himachal Sadan in Delhi, turning them into focal points of political activity.
The Congress is attempting to consolidate public opinion by portraying the BJP as insensitive to Himachal’s special category concerns. Nearly 15 lakh employees, pensioners and family pensioners — a decisive voting bloc — are being reminded of the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) by the Congress government in 2022.
Observers note that the timing of the RDG agitation and the Rajya Sabha poll is not coincidental.
By foregrounding RDG, the Congress is shaping the political narrative before entering the Upper House contest. Party strategists believe that if RDG remains at the centre of discourse, the BJP would find it difficult to aggressively counter without risking backlash over alleged “anti-Himachal” sentiment.
BJP had created a defection in Congress in 2022 by terming Abhishek Manu Singhvi as outsiders and against the interest of Himachal by putting Congress rebel Harsh Mahajan against him.
Congress is treading cautiously after last year’s embarrassment when the senior advocate lost the Rajya Sabha election despite the party’s numerical advantage in the Assembly. Six Congress MLAs had cross-voted, paving the way for the BJP candidate to secure victory.
Learning from that episode, the party is keen to avoid giving the BJP time to mobilise or engineer dissent.
The anti-defection law and possible repercussions, including pension-related consequences for legislators, are factors that weigh heavily this time. Congress leaders privately admit that another rebellion in a Rajya Sabha poll would carry serious political costs.
Within Congress circles, several senior leaders are being discussed, including former union minister Anand Sharma, former state Congress president Kaul Singh Thakur and Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil. Political advisor Sunil Bitu is also being mentioned. At the same time, BJP insiders suggest that the party is preparing contingency plans.
There is speculation that the BJP may field a young, educated woman candidate if Congress opts for an “outsider.” BJP MLA Sudhir Sharma, a known critic of the Chief Minister, recently stirred a debate by likening a Delhi Police search at Himachal Bhawan to a “raid,” reflecting the charged atmosphere around RDG deliberations.
Political analysts believe the Congress high command may delay the announcement until the final days of nomination to restrict the BJP’s maneuvering space. By intertwining the RDG narrative with the Rajya Sabha election, the ruling party aims to frame the contest not merely as a legislative election but as a referendum on Himachal’s financial rights.
For now, suspense continues. But the parallel escalation of the RDG issue and the Upper House election suggests that Congress is playing a longer game — one where timing, perception and state sentiment may prove decisive.
