House adjourned after paying tributes to Mandi MP Ram Swaroop Sharma

Shimla, March 17

Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha was today adjourned after members paid condolences on the demise of two-time MP from Mandi Lok Sabha seat Ram Swaroop Sharma. The proceedings for the day started with Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur expressing grief at the demise of Sharma in the Vidhan Sabha.

“There is utter disbelief at the unfortunate demise of Sharma which had left the party shocked and shattered,” said Thakur. He said Sharma’s biggest strengths were his easy accessibility and humility. The Chief Minister said the MP held the record of winning by the highest-ever margin of 4.05 lakh from the Mandi Lok Sabha seat by any candidate. He said the cause of the death would be known only after the post-mortem.

The Chief Minister said Sharma had also remained vice chairman of State Civil Supplies Corporation and contested the Lok Sabha poll for the first time in 2014, where he defeated Pratibha Singh, wife of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. Later in 2019, he repeated the feat by winning the Mandi seat by a record margin, he added.

Offering condolences to the bereaved family, Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri said the death of the MP had sent shock waves across the state. He said Sharma was a very polite and soft-spoken man. Ministers and legislators, cutting across party lines, expressed grief and shock on the death of the Lok Sabha MP. The Speaker adjourned the house after obituaries. — TNS