PHAGWARA: Former Minister and Veteran BJP Leader Ch Swarana Ram(83) who breathed his last after prolonged illness in Phagwara today had a long political carrier.
Former MLA and his elder son Mohan Lal(Former MLA Banga ) told THE TRIBUNE here this evening that his father joined politics and worked at various political posts in BJP. He contested his first assembly election in 1980 from Banga against Late Ch Jagat Ram but lost the elections. Then he came to Phagwara in 1985 and contested 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 the sad demise.He is survived by his widow, 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 former minister Swarana Ram.