Former Himachal BJP minister Rikhi Ram Kaundal dies at 73

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 17

Former Himachal BJP minister Rikhi Ram Kaundal passed away at his native place Gharan in Bilaspur district on Tuesday morning.

Kaundal, 73, returned to his village from Paonta Sahib after attending the two-day state BJP executive meeting around 10 pm on Monday. It was around 3.30 am on Tuesday that he suffered a massive heart attack. He was rushed to the nearby Primary Health Centre at Shahtalai but was declared brought dead by doctors.

Family sources said Kaundal had undergone a bypass surgery some time back but had been keeping well.

He had been denied the Assembly ticket in 2017 Assembly poll from his traditional constituency of Geharwin. He  represented Geharwin and Jhandutta Assembly segments five times.

He was cremated at his native village Gharan. A large number of BJP leaders attended the funeral.

He is survived by two sons and three daughters.

Assembly Speaker Vipin Parmar expressed grief at the demise. “He was a mass leader who was connected to his roots and fought for the rights of the poor, needy and downtrodden,” said Parmar. Deputy Speaker Hans Raj also offered condolences to the bereaved family.

Kaundal, who was born on January 5, 1947, was elected to the Vidhan Sabha for the first time in 1985 and won again in 1990, 1998, 2003 and 2007. He remained Deputy Speaker of Vidhan Sabha from 1990 to 1992. He was Minister of State for Cooperation in the Dhumal government from 1998 to 2003.                  

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