Congress renominates Phulo Devi Netam for Rajya Sabha from Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: The Congress has renominated tribal leader and sitting MP Phulo Devi Netam as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha from Chhattisgarh, said Congress communication department head Sushil Anand Shukla.

The decision sets the stage for a contest with the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has fielded OBC leader Laxmi Verma. The terms of two Rajya Sabha members from the state—Phulo Devi Netam and KTS Tulsi—expire in April 2026. Netam currently serves as the president of the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Mahila Congress. By repeating Netam, the party aims to project a strong tribal face from Bastar, a region of high political and socio-cultural significance.

Party insiders said the move reflects confidence in her parliamentary performance and her connect with grassroots workers. Netam was first elected to the Upper House on 14 September 2020. During her tenure, she has raised issues concerning tribal rights, forest dwellers, and development in districts affected by Left Wing Extremism. A seasoned leader, Netam is a survivor of the 2013 Jhiram Ghati Naxal attack in Bastar’s Darbha valley.

On 25 May 2013, she was part of a Congress convoy ambushed while returning from a meeting in Sukma. The attack killed over two dozen people, including senior state leaders. Her survival from the assault is seen as a mark of her resilience in the conflict-hit region. With both major parties fielding women candidates, the contest focuses on representation, regional balance, and community outreach. The renomination signals the intent of the Congress to maintain its tribal outreach. Netam began her political career in 1994 when she was elected Janpad President of Farasgaon. In undivided Madhya Pradesh, she was elected as an MLA from Keshkal in 1998. She later served as the Bastar District Panchayat President from 2005 to 2010. Between 2011 and 2020, she held various organisational roles within the party before her first elevation to the Rajya Sabha. “I began my political journey at the grassroots in 1994 as Janpad President of Farasgaon.

I was elected MLA in undivided Madhya Pradesh in 1998 and later served as Bastar District Panchayat President. From 2011 to 2020, I worked to strengthen the party organisation. In September 2020, the party entrusted me with the Rajya Sabha role, and I have been nominated again. I thank Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Bhupesh Baghel, and other senior leaders for their faith in me. I do not belong to a political family; my achievements are due to the trust of the party and the people,” Netam said. Both BJP and Congress candidates will file their nomination papers on Thursday.