Former prime minister of Nepal and president of the Nepali Congress Sushil Koirala, 78, died in his Kathmandu home on Tuesday morning. He suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, for which he had undergone treatment in the United States. He had also been receiving treatment for tongue cancer. Koirala was behind the enforcement of the new constitution of Nepal in September last year.

General Secretary of the Nepali Congress Prakash Man Singh said his body will be taken to the party’s central office at Sanepa, Kathmandu, where it will be kept for party cadres and others to pay their last tributes. Koirala’s death came amid preparations for the Nepali Congress general assembly set to be held in two weeks. He had stopped being the prime minister on September 20, in accordance with a provision of the new constitution. He had then lost the re-election bid to KP Oli.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences for Koirala’s death. He said India had lost a valued friend in him.