Samata Party chief W Basantakumar dies of heart attack

IMPHAL, January 27: The State Samata Party president and sitting member of the 7th Manipur Legislative Assembly representing Kshetrigao Assembly constituency, Basantakumar Wangkhem, expired yesterday at a hospital in New Delhi following a heart attack. He was 52. The body of the deceased leader was brought from Delhi to Imphal today and arrived at the Imphal airport this afternoon at 1:45. It was received at the airport by the party leaders including legislators, party workers and well wishers especially from his constituency and members of his family and brought to the party office at BT Road where a condolence meeting was held. The body was later taken around Kshetrigao Kendra for the people to pay their last respects. The body is to be cremated tomorrow. Family sources said Basantakumar, who was on a private visit to New Delhi, had been undergoing dialysis at a private nursing home for renal problems. Complications arose during the dialysis, leading to cardiac arrest. After the arrival of the body of the deceased leader today, a large number of political leaders, including from both the Ruling and Opposition benches, turned up at his residence and offered floral tributes. The Governor Ved Marwah also came in the evening to pay his respect. Chief minister W Nipamacha however did not turn up. Sources said he may attend the funeral tomorrow. It may be mentioned here that Basantakumar Wangkhem is the second member of the 7th Manipur Legislative Assembly to die in office, after late L Bhagyachandra Singh, MLA representing Keishamthong Kendra, who passed away on August 18, 2000. The 7th State Assembly is yet to complete its first year. Basantakumar Wangkhem, who held the post of veterinary minister under Rishang Keishing, was born on September 30, 1948, the second son of Wangkhem Ibohal, ex-MLA. A graduate of the Khalsa Collge, Bombay, he joined politics as a worker of the Indian National Congress in 1966. He served as general secretary of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (I) from 1983-86. He contested the state assembly elections in 1984, 1990, 1995, and 2000, first becoming successful in 1995, when he was appointed veterinary minister under Rishang Keishing. He suffered the misfortune of being disqualified as an MLA in the middle of the 6th Assembly, along with defeat in subsequent by-election, held in 1998, but bounced back in the general elections last year. Basantakumar Wangkhem also served as vice-chairman of the Planning and Development Authority, from 1990 to 1992. A man of wide interests, he produced a feature film Ngak-eko-Nangse in 1974. He also served at various times as general secretary of the Eastern Sporting Union, ESU, a vice-president of the Manipur Football Association, general secretary of the Lions Club, Imphal and president of the Magic Association, among others. He was a recipient of the Udyok Ratna Award of the Institute of Economic Study, New Delhi.