Sikkim Congress chief hospitalised

GANGTOK - Sikkim’s former chief minister and head of the Congress’ state unit Nar Bahadur Bhandari was hospitalised Thursday after he fainted and complained of breathing problems.

Bhandari was rushed to the Central Referral Hospital at Tadong Thursday morning in a semi-conscious state and admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Hospital authorities said the former chief minister, who is a diabetic, was also suffering from hypertension.

According to sources, Bhandari might have had a mild cardiac arrest. He could be referred to a hospital outside the state.

He had fainted while talking to Congress leaders in Delhi. ‘Age has caught up on him and he said he felt very weak and collapsed, it is then we put him into the vehicle and brought him to the hospital,’ said one of his close associates, adding Bhandari had not been keeping too well since the day the results were declared.