For 36-year-old Aashray Sharma, it’s not just living up to the expectation of a strong political legacy but the tag of a party hopper that makes the Himachal poll battle more challenging. Grandson of one of the stronger leaders in the Mandi belt, Aashray is playing an anchor role for re-election of his father Anil Sharma from the constituency, one of the 10 important assembly segments in the district.
Aashray is the grandson of former telecom minister Sukh Ram who is credited with bringing the telecom revolution and also courting several controversies that came with it. Aashray, just a few months ago, crossed over to the BJP from the Congress. He had unsuccessfully contested as a Congress candidate from the Mandi parliamentary constituency in 2019. He is the campaign manager of his father and BJP candidate from Mandi, Anil Sharma, who is contesting for the fourth time, out of which, twice was on the Congress ticket.
“There is a new generation, which has not seen Pandit ji (Sukh Ram) but has heard the stories of his significant contribution and then there is a generation which has seen Pandit ji and knows what contribution he has made to the state. But the generations know what he meant to the state,” says Aashray.
Aashray said people were not only speaking about the work done during his grandfather’s tenure but are also listing out the achievements by his father and sitting MLA Anil Sharma.
Although BJP workers do admit that being the son of Sukhram is an advantage for the family, but some are also aware of the charges that were levelled against him in the telecom scam, and the family does not shy away from them either.
But the family has had a history of party hopping. Sukh Ram, his son Anil Sharma, and Aashray had joined the BJP before the 2017 assembly elections after differences with then chief minister Virbhadra Singh. Anil won the assembly elections from Mandi and was inducted in the state cabinet as the power minister.
However, in 2019, Sukh Ram sought a ticket for Aashray from the Mandi parliamentary seat and when the BJP refused, they rejoined Congress.
The Congress made Aashray their candidate in 2019 which led to Anil’s exit from the state cabinet though he did not quit the BJP.
Aashray has a strong legacy to bank on. Sukh Ram was considered a formidable political force in Himachal with many in the political circles claiming his sharp political acumen carved out a significant slot for him in the state’s politics.
Sukh Ram’s political career, spanning six decades, started as a secretary in the Mandi municipal council. He later went on to become the Union telecom minister. The veteran leader was credited with bringing telephones to every nook and corner of the hill state. However, the scandal associated with it left a lasting taint on him.
He served as an MLA for five terms and an MP for three terms. The only time he lost an election was 1989. Remarkably, he also won during the Janata Party wave in 1977. He passed away in May this year at 94 after having suffered a brain stroke.
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