ROLPA: Barman Budha, former parliamentarian and founding leader of the Communist Party in Rolpa district, has passed away this morning. He was 90. He was the first person to take membership of the Communist Party from the district. The veteran communist leader from Thawang, Rolpa died at 4:30 am today at Patan Hospital in Lalitpur, his daughter Bijaya Budha said. He had been undergoing treatment in Kathmandu after he was diagnosed with intestine cancer a year ago. He was admitted to Patan Hospital a few days ago for advanced treatment after he became very ill. He was elected to the House of Representatives from Rolpa Constituency-1 on the then Samyukta Janamorcha (the United People's Front) ticket in the parliamentary election of 1992. Budha attracted the parliament's attention as he donned the Kachhad, his local costume, in the HoR meetings. He, however, started becoming less active in politics after the beginning of the armed conflict in 1996. Before taking the communist party's membership, Budha was the Mukhiya (village chief) of Thawang. He also was active in politics for a long time as the Pradhan Pancha (the village mayor) during the Panchayat political system. Budha is venerated in Rolpa for building the Communist Party during a very difficult period. He was also decorated by the President two years back in recognition of his contribution to the nation.