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Former Union Communications Minister Pandit Sukh Ram is no more. The former minister admitted to Delhi’s AIIMS Hospital breathed his last at 1.30 pm on Tuesday. Sukhram’s son Anil Sharma has given this information. He was 95 years old. Three days ago, he was brought from Himachal Pradesh to Delhi for the treatment of brain stroke.
Anil Sharma said that the mortal remains of the former minister are being brought to Mandi by road, which will be taken to a new house located in Bari in Mandi. Here, his funeral procession will be taken out on Thursday by law. His mortal remains will be kept for the last glimpse on the historic Seri platform.
From the Seri platform, his body will be taken to the Hanuman Ghat on the banks of the river Beas, where he will be cremated with state honours. On Saturday morning, on the request of the family, Pandit Sukhram was airlifted to Delhi by the Chief Minister’s helicopter and admitted to AIIMS.
Pandit Sukhram was airlifted from Himachal to Delhi.
Became Minister of Communications in 1991
Pandit Sukhram was active in the politics of Himachal Pradesh since the 1960s. He became the Minister of Communications in the late Narasimha Rao government formed in 1991, but had to resign in 1996 because of his name in the communications scam. Prior to this, from 1985 to 1989, Pandit Sukhram was also the Food and Civil Supplies Minister in the late Rajiv Gandhi government.
First of all, Pandit Sukhram was admitted to the zonal hospital in Mandi.
Contested the election alone in 1998
In 1998, the Himachal Vidhan Sabha election was contested by Pandit Sukh Ram by separating from the Congress and forming the Himachal Vikas Congress. BJP and Congress did not get majority in this election and Sukh Ram’s party got 4 seats in the elections held in February. Pandit Sukhram supported the party by getting 3 MLAs to join the BJP to avoid the danger of their MLAs changing parties and the government was formed.
Later in June, when elections were held on the seat of Lahaul Spiti, Himachal Vikas Congress won this seat as well. Ramlal Markandeya, who won from this seat then, is today a cabinet minister in the BJP government.
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