Shimla:
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Tuesday sworn in former minister Mansa Ram as Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) by administering him oath of office and secrecy at a function.
With this, the number of CPS in the state has gone up to nine, besides eleven member cabinet headed by Virbhadra Singh.
Mansa Ram, Congress MLA from Karsog in Mandi district, was first elected as an Independent from this constituency in 1967. Later, he joined Congress and was re-elected in 1972 on a Congress ticket. He was inducted as minister of state in the ministry headed by Y S Parmar.
He lost the elections in 1977 but was re-elected as an Independent member in 1982. He was then included as a state minister in Ram Lal's government. Mansa Ram was elected to Vidhan Sabha again in 1998 on Himachal Vikas Congress (HVC) ticket but later joined the BJP. He had served as a Cabinet minister in the P K Dhumal-led government. He contested as BJP candidate in 2007 but lost.
In 2012, he was elected as Congress candidate but lost the race for ministerial berth.
Speaking to reporters at the function, the Chief Minister said there was one vacancy in the cabinet which would be filled soon.
