Himachal Pradesh Congress MLA Nand Lal passes away at 72 after prolonged illness

Senior Congress leader and four-time MLA Nand Lal passed away at the age of 72 on Tuesday following a prolonged illness. He breathed his last at the Atal Super Speciality Hospital in Chamiyana, Shimla.

Political Journey

Nand Lal hailed from Devthi village in Rampur Bushahr, Shimla district. He completed his post-graduation in political science from Himachal Pradesh University before joining the Indo-Tibetan Border Police in 1980. During the 1990s, he served in the Special Protection Group, where he was part of the security detail for Sonia Gandhi and performed security duties for serving and former prime ministers. Former prime ministers Rajiv Gandhi and Chandra Shekhar reportedly issued him commendation certificates, and he also commanded an ITBP battalion in terrorism-affected areas of Jammu and Kashmir. He received the President's police medal and took voluntary retirement in 2007 to enter politics.

Electoral Record

He secured a Congress ticket for the Rampur seat, a Scheduled Caste-reserved constituency, in the 2007 Assembly elections and won by a margin of 6,470 votes. He successfully defended the seat in 2012, 2017, and 2022, though his 2022 winning margin dropped to 567 votes against the BJP candidate. His death has reduced the ruling Congress party's tally in the 68-member Himachal Pradesh Assembly to 39 and necessitates a by-election before the December 2027 polls.

Factional Ties

Nand Lal was closely associated with the late six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and remained part of the Virbhadra faction. In 2013, he was appointed Chief Parliamentary Secretary during Virbhadra's tenure. When Virbhadra's son, Vikramaditya Singh, held a press conference in February 2024 to express grievances against the Sukhu-led government over a statue installation, Nand Lal stood behind him. In March 2024, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu appointed him as the Seventh State Finance Commission chairman with a cabinet rank. State leaders including Sukhu, Pratibha Singh, Vikramaditya, and Vinay Kumar expressed their condolences.

Context

State Finance Commissions in India examine the financial position of local governments like panchayats and urban bodies to recommend resource distribution. By-elections are legally required when an elected assembly seat falls vacant due to the death or resignation of a sitting member.