Sonia, Rahul pay tributes

andigarh, January 20

Veteran Congress leader Shamsher Singh Surjewala passed away after a prolonged illness at AIIMS in Delhi today. He was 87.

One of the prominent leaders from Haryana, Surjewala remained active in electoral politics for over four decades and was once a contender for the Chief Minister’s post. He got elected as MLA on five occasions —from Narwana in 1967, 1977, 1982 and 1991 and from Kaithal in 2005 — served as state minister and was a Rajya Sabha member. He also served as Leader of the Opposition in Haryana and state Congress president.

He is survived by his wife Vidya, daughters Madhu and Poonam and son Randeep, who is Congress national media incharge and national spokesperson.

Surjewala’s body was taken from AIIMS to Narwana, where he was later cremated. The pyre was lit by his son. His cremation was attended by ex-CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, state Congress president Kumari Selja and former Union ministers Birender Singh and Venod Sharma.

Considered a political leader Left of the Centre, Surjewala believed in socialist ideologies and always espoused the cause of the poor and farmers. He was also founder-president of the Haryana Krishak Samaj. As a minister, he was considered an able administrator and held key portfolios like irrigation and power in the Bansi Lal and Bhajan Lal Cabinets.

His brush with India’s freedom struggle started in the 1940s as president of the Students Congress in erstwhile Punjab’s Sangrur. — TNS