KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress (NC) president and former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has expressed grief over the death of Purushottam Basnet, a Constituent Assembly member and the party’s former invitee central member.

An untiring fighter of Nepal’s democratic movement and a towering figure of the Congress, Basnet passed away at 4 am today at Sifal Height, Kathmandu.

He was 78.

In a condolence statement today, NC President Deuba wished for the eternal peace of the departed soul and on behalf of the party and on his own extended condolences to the grief-stricken family members.

Deuba said he is shocked and heartbroken by the news of writer and litterateur Basnet’s demise. He maintained that the contribution the Basnet made to the Nepali Congress and the country’s democratic movements would always be remembered in the party’s history.

NC President said that the party lost a multi-dimensional personality in Basnet’s demise. The party has stated that it has lost a respectable, experienced, and knowledgeable person history with his demise, which is an irreparable loss to the party.

NC will lower its flag at the party’s central office and at all the district offices at half-mast on May 12, 13, and 14 to pay tribute to the late Basnet, said NC central office chief secretary Krishna Prasad Poudel.

Likewise, the party central office and all offices in the districts would be closed on May 14 in mourning while condolence book would be kept at these offices until the 13th day of the demise, it is stated.

RSS