Former Himachal Pradesh Speaker Tulsi Ram passes away at 76
The former BJP leader represented Bharmour thrice in the assembly and was elected Speaker in 2008 but was denied the ticket in 2012 after which he left the party.
Former Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Speaker Tulsi Ram, 76, passed away after a brief illness on Monday night.
He is survived by his wife and two sons. He was undergoing treatment for a kidney-related ailment at a private hospital in Kangra.
The former speaker was cremated with full state honours at his native village in Bharmour. Forest Minister Rakesh Pathania, deputy speaker Himachal Pradesh Assembly Hansraj and Bharmour MLA Jia Lal were among others present to pay their last respect to the deceased leader.
Ram, who worked as a clerk, unsuccessfully contested his first election as an independent candidate in 1982. He again contested the elections on a BJP ticket in 1985 but lost.
He was first elected to the state assembly in 1990 and was re-elected in 1998 and 2007. Ram, who represented tribal Bharmour constituency thrice, was elected Speaker on January 11, 2008.
The party denied him the ticket in the 2012 assembly elections and replaced him with Jia Lal. He left the BJP in 2015.
Known for his simplicity, Ram was settled in Palampur.
Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur expressed grief over the death of the former speaker. “May God give the departed soul peace and the bereaved family the strength to bear this grief,” Thakur tweeted.
Former chief minister Shanta Kumar remembered Tulsi Ram as a hardworking party worker. “He did appreciable work as three-time legislator of Bharmour and as the Speaker of the state assembly,” Shanta said.
Rajya Sabha Member Indu Goswami also condoled the death of the former speaker.