By IANS
Shimla : Sukh Ram, the former union communication minister and Congress leader of Himachal Pradesh who was once embroiled in a major corruption scandal, has decided to retire from electoral politics ahead of the assembly elections in the state next month.
“I will not contest any election in future and have nominated my son Anil Sharma as my political successor from the Mandi assembly seat next month,” said Sukh Ram in Mandi Sunday.
The 81-year-old politician began his political journey in 1962 in Mandi, his hometown, which is about 180 km from here.
As Congress’ communications minister in the mid 1990s, he had to step down after a huge sum of money was allegedly found in his house and parliament was stalled for almost two weeks over corruption charges against him.
After being expelled from the Congress, he staged a political comeback by forming a new political outfit, the Himachal Vikas Congress, and joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and became a powerful minister in the BJP led government in the state.
Later, he left the BJP, returned to the Congress and became an MLA again from Mandi in 2003.
“I will not contest any election but may campaign for Congress candidates in the forthcoming assembly polls next month,” Sukh Ram said.
He said as communications minister he had laid the foundation for bringing in a telecom revolution in a backward hill state like Himachal Pradesh.