Shimla, March 10 -- Congress candidate Anurag Sharma has been elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha for the lone seat from Himachal Pradesh. The 48-year-old Youth Congress leader also served as Kangra district Congress committee president. Sharma began his career in 1994 as an NSUI worker. He received his Certificate of Election from the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Secretariat after being declared elected as Rajya Sabha MP. The election went unopposed as the Bharatiya Janata Party did not field any candidate. The Himachal Vidhan Sabha secretary declared the result on Monday. Himachal Congress organised a felicitation programme at party's state headquarters in Shimla for the newly elected Rajya Sabha MP Sharma. Sharma will assume office after the term of the current Rajya Sabha MP Indu Goswami ends on April 9. Addressing party workers at Rajiv Bhawan, Sharma said, "In the coming time we want to see 'Mission Repeat' for the Congress government in Himachal," he said. Expressing gratitude to the Congress's central and state leadership and party workers, Sharma said, "This victory belongs to the workers. On Holi, upon receiving a call regarding my nomination for Rajya Sabha, I initially thought someone was joking with me." Talking about priorities, Sharma said, "I will raise issues related to tourism expansion, adventure tourism, medical tourism, better transport connectivity and railway development in Himachal in Parliament and before the Centre." Deputy chief minister (CM) Mukesh Agnihotri said Sharma's win symbolised recognition of grassroots workers within the party. "Perhaps this is the first time in the country that a district Congress president has been elected to the Rajya Sabha," Agnihotri said. "Last time some MLAs were broken away, including six from Congress. But this time all 40 Congress MLAs stoodfirmly with the party and elected the Congress candidate," he said. Calling on party workers to strengthen the organisation, Agnihotri said, "Anurag Sharma has spoken about Mission Repeat. The CM will present the budget and we will go to the grassroots and implement a people-friendly budget so that the Congress government returns again."...