Province 1 Minister for Forest, Environment and Soil Conservation Shekhar Chandra Thapa died on Wednesday. He was also contesting the provincial assembly election scheduled for November 20 from Morang-3 (1) constituency under a Nepali Congress ticket. He was 57.

Thapa was undergoing treatment for dengue and pneumonia infection at Biratnagar-based Nobel Teaching Hospital. He died at 10am, according to Narayan Dahal, director at the hospital.

Thapa was admitted to the hospital on October 10, a day after he filed his nomination for the upcoming provincial assembly elections. After three days, he was brought to the Kathmandu-based HAMS Hospital for further treatment. He was kept in the Intensive Care Unit for 17 days at HAMS Hospital.

According to his family members, Thapa returned to Biratnagar on Monday after he was discharged from HAMS. He was again admitted to Nobel Teaching Hospital on Tuesday after he complained of breathing difficulties. He was diagnosed with pneumonia. Following his admission to the hospital, Thapa took to social media to apologise for his inability to take part in election campaigns.

Thapa, a resident of Pathari Shanishchare Municipality-8, served as the personal secretary to former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala. Thapa, who had been defeated by CPN-UML leader Chandi Rai during the Constituent Assembly election in 2013, was elected to the provincial assembly of Province 1 in 2017 under the proportional electoral system. He was also a member of the Congress’s parliamentary party representing Province 1.

Thapa is survived by a wife, a son and a daughter.

Province 1 Chief Minister Rajendra Kumar Rai expressed his condolences to the bereaved family by issuing a statement. The provincial government lowered the national flag to half-mast in government offices on Thursday and has declared a public holiday in the province to mourn Thapa’s demise.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has announced plans to carry on with the provincial elections in Morang-3(1) as planned. Shalikram Sharma Poudel, spokesperson at the Election Commission, informed that the commission was aware of Thapa’s passing.

“We will make necessary arrangements for re-nomination and hold the elections on the scheduled date,” said Poudel. “After the central committee makes its decision, the commission will make necessary arrangements in a way that only the concerned party will be able to file for re-nomination.”