Kathmandu, January 21:

Seasoned politician and former general secretary of the Nepali Congress Shree Bhadra Sharma Khanal passed away today. He was 83.

Sharma, who had been suffering from heart ailments for last few months, breathed his last at 4:30 pm at his private residence at Koteshwor. Sharma is survived by two daughters, Arati Shah and Aruna Regmi, and son, Ajaya Bhadra Khanal, editor of The Himalayan Times.

NC leaders, sympathisers and well-wishers paid their last respects to Sharma at the party headquarters at Sanepa in the evening. Late in the evening, Sharma was cremated at the Pashupati Aryaghat. His son Ajaya lit the funeral pyre.

NC leaders and politicians, who attended the cremation that began late at night, spoke highly of Sharma, who has also been associated with several social and not-for-profit organisations, including charities.

The NC headquarters issued a press release describing the demise of Sharma as an irreparable loss for the party. Founding member of the party Ram Hari Joshi, who has been friends with Sharma since 1949, remembered the former general secretary as a soft spoken, gentle, and eloquent person and a good orator.

NC leaders wrapped the party flags around the body of Sharma. Party vice presidents Gopal Man Shrestha and Prakash Man Singh and general secretary KB Gurung were among the prominent leaders to pay homage to

the departed soul. Prominent leaders of several

political parties and members of the civil society went to pay homage to the departed soul.

Sharma, who had led western region armed rebellion when Nepali Congress waged war for democracy in the 1950’s, was elected to parliament in 1960 general election from Tanahun. He also became the party general secretary in the same year. Sharma, one of the founders of the NC, was imprisoned several times during the Jayatu Sanskritam movement and was exiled during the Rana regime. He served as governor of Bandipur, Tanahun after the then NC Liberation Army captured it.

Sharma was imprisoned by the erstwhile royal

regime for six years from 1961-67. In the past he also served as industries, commerce and general administration minister.