BJP leader Ch Swarana Ram no more

Phagwara, April 1

Former minister and veteran BJP leader Ch Swarana Ram (83) today breathed his last after a prolonged illness here.

His elder son Mohan Lal, a former MLA from Banga, said his father joined politics and worked at various posts in the BJP. He contested his first Assembly elections in 1980 from Banga against Late Ch Jagat Ram but lost.

Then he shifted to Phagwara in 1985 and contested the Assembly elections. Swarana Ram won the Assembly elections in 1997 and 2002. He was a Cabinet minister from 2007 to 2012 and Deputy Speaker in 1997. He was a straight forward politician who always dared to speak truth. He was most popular among BJP cadres and Dalit community. Hundreds of BJP activists thronged to the residence of Swarana Ram to condole his demise. He is survived by his wife, two sons and one daughter. Union Minister of State Som Parkash, National SC Commission Chairman Vijay Sampla, former ministers Manoranjan Kalia, Dr Baldev Chawla, Madan Mohan Mittal, Prof Lakshmi Kanta Chawla and Avinash Khanna condoled the death of Swarana Ram.