Virus claims ex-ministers Vhrek Raj, Laishom Lalit
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, May 17 2021:
The second wave of COVID-19 has taken lives of several prominent personalities of the state with former ministers Vivek Raj Wangkhem and Laishom Lalit becoming the latest notable individuals who succumbed to the viral infection.
Both of them died of COVID-19 on Monday.
Vivek Raj was 46 and Laishom Lalit 85 .
Vivek was the national general secretary of National People's Party and he was former social welfare minister.
He was undergoing treatment at Sadar Vallabhai Patel Covid Hospital, New Delhi since May 14 after contracting COVID-19 and died of cardiac arrest on Monday morning.
He left behind his wife and two children.
Vivek Raj was son of former MLA of Kshetrigao and film actor late Basanta Kumar Wangkhem.
He entered politics after the demise of his father and contested assembly election from Kshetrigao in 1995 on Janata Dal ticket.
He became MLA of the constituency in the same election at the young age of around 24/25 years.
He was elected again in the 2002 general election on Manipur State Congress Party ticket and became the social welfare minister.
On the other hand, Laishom Lalit was on home isolation at his Keishamthong Laishom Leirak residence since May 15 after contracting COVID-19 .
After his condition deteriorated, he was shifted to Shija hospitals Monday morning but succumbed to the virus at about 4pm.Laishom Lalit was finance minister during the tenure of late chief minister Rishang Keishing and he was also former president of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee.
Laiit was elder brother of late politician Laishom Ibomcha.