HYDERABAD: Veteran politico and former Union minister Punjala Shiv Shankar (90), who had played a key role in the affairs of Congress during the times of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, died of prolonged illness on Monday.
Shiv Shankar, who belonged to the numerically strong Munnuru Kapu community in Telangana, was seen as the only leader from weaker sections in South India to be considered as a member of the coterie of Indira and Rajiv.
Born on Aug 10, 1929 at Mamidipally near Hyderabad, he began his political career by quitting the post of judge in the then AP High Court. At first, he was elected to Lok Sabha from Secunderabad in 1979.
The veteran, who was one of the few legal experts in the country at the time, served as Union Law Minister in 1981, during Indira Gandhi’s regime, after his reelection from the same constituency in 1980. From then on he maintained close rapport with the Gandhi family till the death of Rajiv Gandhi.
After his defeat from Medak Lok Sabha Constituency, which was earlier represented by Indira Gandhi, Congress high command nominated him to Rajya Sabha from Gujarat in 1985.
During his tenure as Rajya Sabha member from 1985 to 1993, the senior politico held key portfolios including external affairs minister and Human Resources Development minister.
For a few days, he held the post of deputy chairman of Planning Commission. After that, he served as Governor of Sikkim and Kerala. In 1998, he was elected to Lok Sabha from Tenali constituency in Andhra Pradesh by defeating the then popular Telugu film actress Sharada. Shiv Shankar quit Congress in 2004, alleging that party tickets in the state were being sold by Congress leaders.
After keeping himself away from active politics till 2008, he joined the erstwhile Praja Rajyam Party (PRP), floated by Telugu actor K Chiranjeevi, who also hails from Kapu community, in the same year. The veteran politico is survived by wife Laxmi Bai, a son and a daughter.
Shiv Shankar’s elder son Sudhir Kumar died in 2002 at an age of 42 years, because of illness. Sudhir rose to prominence as the Youth Congress president in the erstwhile AP between 1988 and 1993 and also served as legislator from Malakpet Constituency in 1989-1994.