LD KOIRALA 3LST

Describing Koirala as "a statesman of great stature",
Lok Sabha Speaker Mira Kumar said: "in passing away of
Koirala, we lost a statesman of great stature."

In his demise, the sub-continent lost a great champion
of democracy, Kumar said.
Finance Minister Mukherjee condoled the death of
Koirala, saying he was a tall leader of South Asia who
fought for democracy for a long period.
The Nepalese leader led the struggle for restoration
of democracy and initiated the peace process in Nepal, he
noted. "In his demise we lost a great friend and a tall leader
of South Asia," Mukherjee said.
The Indian leaders earlier went to the residence of
Sujata Koirala to express their condolences, before going to
Dashrath Stadium where the veteran leader's body has been kept
for people to pay their last respects.
Leader of Nationalist Congress Party D P Tripathi said
Koirala was not only a great leader of Nepal, but was also a
guardian of democracy in South Asia.
"Our entire country is filled with grief on his
demise," he said.
A great tribute to Koirala will be the completion of
the peace process in Nepal and drafting of the Constitution
within the May 28 deadline, he said.
Born in 1925 in Bihar, Koirala became Prime Minister
for the first time in 1991 after his Nepali Congress party
secured majority in the 205-member House of Representatives.
He began his political career as a trade unionist when
he joined the Nepal Mazdoor Congress in 1948 and played an
active role in the first labour movement of Nepal the same
year.
It was Koirala who proposed the motion to abolish
monarchy through voting during the first meeting of the
Constituent Assembly on May 28, 2008, which was endorsed by an
overwhelming majority in the 601-member House. The move led to
the ouster of the then King Gyanendra.
Gyanendra's personal secretary Pashupati Bhakta
Maharjan visited Sujata's house to condoled the demise of
Koirala.
The last monarch of Nepal also issued a statement,
condoling the demise of Koirala and expressing sympathy to the
bereaved family. PTI SBP
KAB


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