AGARTALA, February 16 (TIWN): The assembly session of the ongoing budget session was suspended today to mark respect to veteran Communist Leader Sudhir Das. Das was elected to the house from Surma in Kamalpur subdivision SC reserved seat for five times. His body today arrived at Agartala at around 10:15 AM. Veteran communist leader of Tripura and sitting CPI (M) legislator Sudhir Das died at All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) hospital in New Delhi Sunday following a heart attack. He was 64 years old. MLA Sudhir Das’ body today arrived here at Agartala at around 10:15 AM, and later the body was taken to Tripura Legislative Assembly, where Chief Minister Manik Sarkar along with the leaders of all political parties cutting across party lines expressed their condolences over Das’death. However later his body has been taken to secretariat and then to his home town at Kamalpur. His body would be kept at the party office in Kamalpur" to enable people to pay their last respects. According to the officials the state government declared a half-day holiday today in Kamalpur and Ambassa. Two-day state mourning has been announced from Monday. His body would be cremated with full state honours Tuesday in Kamalpur, 140 km north of here.

Das who was also a former minister of the state, was survived by his wife, a son and a daughter. He died at AIIMS hosptal at New Delhi at around 4:05 PM on Sunday. He was suffering from a heart attack since couple of days and was undergoing treatment at Agartala GB Pant hospital and later he was referred to Delhi AIIMS hospital. Das became member of the CPI-M (Communist Party of India-Marxist) in 1971.

He took part in the students’ movement in 1968. He became CPI (M) party divisional committee secretariat in 1975. Earlier, he was elected as Gram Pradhan in 1978.

However it may be recalled here that earlier, former Information and Cultural Affairs Minister cum Vice Chairman of Tripura Planning Commission Anil Sarkar died at AIIMS on February 9 following age-related ailments.