Thakur Ram Lal (7 July 1929 – 6 July 2002) was an Indian politician and a leader of the Indian National Congress from Himachal Pradesh.
Thakur Ram Lal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 12th Governor of Andhra Pradesh | |
| In office 15 August 1983 – 29 August 1984 | |
| Chief Minister | N. T. Rama Rao N. Bhaskara Rao |
| Preceded by | K. C. Abraham |
| Succeeded by | Shankar Dayal Sharma |
| Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh | |
| In office 14 February 1980 – 7 April 1983 | |
| Governor | Amin ud-din Ahmad Khan A. K. Banerjee |
| Preceded by | Shanta Kumar |
| Succeeded by | Virbhadra Singh |
| In office 28 January 1977 – 30 April 1977 | |
| Governor | S. Chakravarti Amin ud-din Ahmad Khan |
| Preceded by | Yashwant Singh Parmar |
| Succeeded by | President's Rule |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 July 1929 Simla, Punjab, British India |
| Died | 6 July 2002 (aged 72) Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Residence | Shimla |
| Occupation | Politician |
Political career
editHimachal Pradesh
editHe was elected to the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha from the Jubbal-Kotkhai constituency in nine times from 1957 to 1982. He briefly served as the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh from 28 January 1977 to 30 April 1977. In the 1977 Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, he withstood the anti-Congress wave in elections conducted after The Emergency to win 60.2 percent of the votes in Jubbal-Kotkhai but saw the Congress reduced to 9 seats from the previous 53.[1] He served as the leader of opposition in the legislative assembly from 29 June 1977 to 13 February 1980.
He again became the Chief Minister on 14 February 1980 and remained in office till 7 April 1983.[2] He was forced to resign as chief minister in the aftermath of his son Jagdish Thakur's conviction for timber smuggling in January 1983. Lal's government was accused of soft pedalling against a large-scale illegal lumbering operation run by Jagdish Thakur and Mast Ram Taunta. The Himachal Pradesh state Enforcement Directorate and Himachal Pradesh Police registered more 700 cases of timber smuggling worth over Rs 90 lakh until 31 March 1983.[3][4]
Governor of Andhra Pradesh
editRam Lal was appointed the Governor of Andhra Pradesh on 15 August 1983. While Chief Minister N. T. Rama Rao of the Telugu Desam Party was in the United States for surgery, he appointed finance minister N. Bhaskara Rao as the chief minister ostensibly at the behest of the leadership of the Congress party despite Bhaskara Rao having the support of no more than 20% of the legislators.[5] On his return, NTR launched a popular campaign against Ram Lal and the Congress Party leading to President Zail Singh to dismiss Ram Lal on 29 August 1984 and NTR being re-appointed the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
Death
editThakur Ram Lal died on 6 July 2002 in Shimla following a massive cardiac arrest. He was survived by four daughters, a son and grandson and a granddaughter, two great granddaughters and one great grandson.[1]
His grandson, Rohit Thakur is an MLA from Jubbal-Kotkhai.
References
edit- ^ a b "HP ex-CM Thakur Ramlal dead | Chandigarh News - Times of India". The Times of India. 8 July 2002. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- ^ Chawla, Prabhu (21 October 1983). "Thakur Ram Lal resigns as Himachal Pradesh CM to pave the way for Virbhadra Singh". India Today. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
- ^ Prabhu, Chawla (30 October 1983). "Thakur Ram Lal resigns as Himachal Pradesh CM to pave the way for Virbhadra Singh". India Today. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- ^ "HP ex-CM Thakur Ramlal dead". The Times of India. Chandigarh. 8 July 2002. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
- ^ Chawla, Prabhu (18 July 1983). "Timber smuggling case haunts former Himachal Pradesh CM Thakur Ram Lal". India Today. Retrieved 17 August 2020.