Naya Nepal Naya Blog

Senior Nepali Congress (NC) leader and Constituent Assembly member Bal Bahadur Rai, who was undergoing treatment at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) in Maharajgunj, has passed away at the age of 89 at 4:10 pm Sunday.

Rai, 89, who had opened the first House session as its senior most member following the restoration of civilian power by the former King Gyanendra, was suffering from various health problems including kidney failure, and admitted to the TUTH on June 30.

Meanwhile, NC leaders including acting president Sushil Koirala, vice president Ram Chandra Poudel and senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba have reached the TUTH.

NC will keep Rai’s body at its central office in Sanapa to pay him last tribute, a NC source informed. Then, the body will be airlifted to Okhaldhunga, his home district, for cremation.

Taken as a profiled leader of NC, Rai got several chances for holding ministerial portfolios.

Rai, who was born in 1920 in Moli VDC of Okhaldhunga, and is survived by two sons and two daughters. Earlier today, party's vice president Ram Chandra Poudel reached the TUTH to learn about his health condition.