Veteran Congress party leader and former Union Minister P Shiv Shankar, who was once described as the second most powerful man in Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s Cabinet, passed away on Monday after a prolonged illness.
88-year-old judge-turned-politician breathed his last at home in Hyderabad. During his four-decade long eventful political career, Shiv Shankar served in the Cabinets of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandjhi and also served as the Governor of two States of Sikkim and Kerala.
However, Shiv Shankar, who belonged to backward caste, just before the polls in 2004 revolted against the Congress party and its leader Sonia Gandhi and resigned the party alleging that the party was selling its election tickets to the highest bidders in Andhra Pradesh.
Shiv Shankar who studied law at Osmania University was a symbol of the composite Deccani Culture and spoke fluent Urdu apart from Telugu and English.
After serving as the AP High Court Judge in mid 1970s he entered active politics, joined Congress party and entered the lok Sabha from Secunderabad constituency in 1979.
After serving as law Minister in Indira Gandhi’s Cabinet, Shiv Shankar held many key portfolios in the cabinet of Rajiv Gandhi including external affairs, commerce, Petroleum and Human resources and also headed the Planning Commisison.
Ever smiling and affable Shiv Shankar was elected thrice to the lok Sabha and twice to Rajya Sabha where he also served as the leader of Opposition when Congress was out of power.
During PV Narasimha Rao’s tenure he briefly served as the Governor of Sikkim and Kerala.
After quitting the Congress in a huff in 2004, he joined Praja Rajyam party of film star Chiranjeevi in 2009. But as the party fizzled out and later merged with the Congress, Shiv Shankar also gradually faded out from the political scene.
His son and Congress legislator P Sudhir Kumar died of illness in May 2002. Shiv Shankar is survived by a son and a daughter.
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was among the prominent political leaders who expressed grief over his death. KCR visited his residence in Jubilee Hills and laid a wreath on his body. He announced an official funeral for the veteran political figure of Telangana.
