Kathmandu, Mar 6(ANI): The last rites of former Nepal Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, who breathed his last in Kathmandu on Friday, were performed at the Pashupati Aryaghat here with state honours on Sunday.
His nephew Pramod Bhattarai lighted the funeral pyre as per Hindu tradition followed by a squad of Nepal Army giving a 13-cannonball salute to the veteran leader, the Himalayan Times reports.
Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal and Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala paid their last respects to Bhattarai on behalf of the state and the party respectively.
Speaker Subash Nembang and Deputy Prime Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikary were also present on the occasion.
The Nepal government has announced a three-day state mourning by flying the national flags at half-mast, and keeping condolence books at Nepal's diplomatic missions abroad.
All the government offices and schools in Nepal remained close today.
Widely seen as a maverick leader of the Nepali Congress Party, Bhattarai had made his position by transitioning Nepal from an absolute monarchy to a democratic multi-party system.
Bhattarai was twice the Prime Minister of Nepal, once heading the interim government from April 19, 1990, to May 26, 1991, and then as elected Prime Minister from May 31, 1999, to March 22, 2000.
Bhattarai was the officiating President of the Nepali Congress for nearly 26 years from February 12, 1976, and finally elected to the post of president of party in 1992 till 1996.
He was actively participated in democratic movements of Nepal from its inception. (ANI)
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