SHIMLA/MANDI: The grand old man of Congress, an octogenarian Pt Sukh Ram is no more. He died at AIIMS Delhi on Wednesday morning. All attempts by doctors failed to revive him from a brain stroke he had suffered in Mandi four days back. He was 95.
His family friends and relatives and politicians cutting across party lines have mourned his death. He was cremated at Hanumanghat in his ancestral temple town of Mandi on Thursday afternoon with state honours.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur led the official delegation and paid his floral tributes to departed soul.
Massive Gathering assembled in Mandi as soon as his body was brought from Delhi to his home town. His son Anil Sharma and his grandsons were consoled by people. 
Sukh Ram was born in a simple humble Brahmin family from a Tungal village in Mandi on May 27, 1927. He is survived by his two sons, Anil Sharma, MLA Mandi Sadar, Anup Sharma, a businessman settled in England and three daughters, two of them settled in America and Italy, while the third daughter runs a school in Manali.
Congress Hold 'Shok' Sabha in Shimla and Declare seven days long mourning
Indian National Congress has termed his death as an end of era. Sukh Ram, former telecom minister, will be remembered for his contribution to communication revolution (Sanchar Kranti) in Himachal and the country as whole, said Rajeev Shukla, incharge of HP Congress affairs, Sanjay Dutta, party’ co-incharge.
PCC President Pratibha Singh, Chairperson of Campaign committee Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Leader of the Opposition Mukesh Agnihogtri, working president Harsh Mahajan, Vinay Kumar, Rajinder Rana and former PCC President Kuldeep Singh Rathour, other Congress and BJP MLAs and Ministers have also condoled his death. Congress hold the ‘Shok Sabha” in Rajveev Bhawan in Shimla. Congress leaders paid their floral tributes to the departed soul at Seri Manch where his body was kept for Antin Darshan.
Pratibha Singh said Pt Sukh Ram made huge contribution to the development of Himachal by heralding sanchar kranti in Himachal and in India and contributed to over all development of state. His death has left behind a void that will be difficult to fill. The state will always remember his contribution to development of the state, she said.
Guv and CM Mourn his Death
State Governor Rajindra Vishwanath Arlekar and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur have also condoled his death saying that Pt Sukh Ram was veteran leader and served people of the state.
Chief Minister said that Pt. Sukh Ram was a great visionary leader who would always be remembered for bringing telecom revolution in the country. Himachal Pradesh in particular has lost an outstanding parliamentarian who was open for new ideas and initiatives, he said.
Vidhan Sabha Speaker Vipin Parmar also expressed his condolences to the bereaved family over the death of Sukh Ram.
Sukh Ram had Created a Possibility of Third political Force in Himachal
Three times MP from Mandi and five times MLA, Sukh Ram’s rise in politics was meteoric. With having no formal political backup, he rose from the simple rank of a secretary in the Mandi council to become India's Telecom Minister and created a political niche for himself in state politics.
Sukh Ram would be remembered for his Sanchar Kranti as well as for trying out a third power force in Himachal. He was the first politician from Himachal, who created a possibility of the third alternative to Congress and BJP in Himachal.
But no other leader matched his popularity mainly in Mandi as he never lost any election. The possibility of a third force is still alive in the state, with AAP trying to make inroads into Himachal's political space.
During his heydays Sukh Ram tried all he could to become Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. But his bête noir, Virbhadra Singh outmanoeuvred him politically and became Chief Minister from 1992-1997.
Backed up by then Prime Minister Narsimha Rao and Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Beant Singh, Sukh Ram could muster the support of 23 MLAs while Virbhadra was backed by 29 MLAs.
Fuelled by his political ambition, Sukh Ram severed ties with Virbhadra Singh and Congress. He floated his own political party, Himachal Vikas Congress (HVC) in 1998.
HVC won five assembly seats in Mandi and Solan and Lahaul-Spiti. BJP formed the coalition government with the help of HVC in Himachal Pradesh. Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal became Chief Minister leading the BJP-HVC combine government for the first time in Himachal Pradesh. 
Sukh Ram-Virbhadra Singh Tussle Led to the Rise of BJP in Himachal
Still Sukh Ram could not become Chief Minister. But he managed to keep Congress out of power in the state. Sukh Ram settled his score with Virbhadra Singh.
Due to the long Virbhadra- Sukh Ram tussle, BJP got a major push in Himachal Pradesh. His supporters – Gulab Singh Thakur, MLA from Jogindernagar, Mahender Singh Thakur, now Jalshakti minister, Dr Ram Lal Markande, IT minister from Lahaul-Spiti joined BJP, while Col Dhani Ram Shandil from Solan and Prakash Chaudhary from Balh, Mandi remained with Congress before Sukh Ram's popularity nosedived and he ultimately merged the HVC with Congress in later years.
Sukh Ram had embroiled into controversy after he was booked in the telecom scam and CBI raided his Mandi residence and ceased huge amount of unaccounted cash. He had always dubbed charges against him as a pollical conspiracy to defame him.
He gave up his ambition and took ‘Sanyas’ from electoral politics. Both Virbhadra Singh and Sukh Ram buried their rivalries in public and a bonhomie prevailed among them in later years.
Like other big politicians, Sukh Ram was also infested with “Putra Moh”. He vowed to get his son, Anil Sharma settled in politics which he did.
Sukh Ram was a simple, straight yet a shrewd politician. He enjoyed mass base in Mandi district as the villagers could easily identify themselves with him. His friends and fans remember Sukh Ram as a “doer, a good host, and a visionary”.
Did Sukh Ram Die as an ‘ Unhappy Man’ ?
"Perhaps yes”, say his fans. He suffered brain stroke in Mandi three days back and later succumbed at AIIMS Delhi.
His son Anil Sharma has caught himself in a catch-22 situation. He deserted Congress and joined BJP, where Sharma had again severed ties with BJP.
Sukh Ram’s grandson, Asharay Sharma fought Mandi Lok sabha election on Congress ticket, but lost to the BJP.
Pt Sukh Ram’s Political Journey
Pt. Sukh Ram was elected to Legislative Assembly in 1962 and re-elected in 1967, 1972, 1974 (by- election) and 1977. He was re-elected in 1982 as Congress Candidate and in 1998 and 2003 as Himachal Vikas Congress Party Candidate.
He remained in the State Council of Ministers during 1967-72, 1980-85 and from 24th March, 1988 to 7th May, 1998, during this period he held various portfolios viz. Power, PWD, Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Irrigation.
