Crusader of a separate state of Vidarbha, and former Member of Parliament from Nagpur, Jambuwantrao Dhote passed away this morning in Yawatmal following a heart attack. His last rites will be held on Sunday in Yawatmal.

Known as ' Vidarbh Kesari' or the Lion of Vidarbha, Dhote has been associated with the cause of separate statehood of Vidarbha for several decades.

ALL ABOUT DHOTE

Dhote was elected as Member of Parliament twice from Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency. He was first elected as an MP in 1971. In 1978, he joined the Congress (I) party and was elected for second time from Nagpur in 1980.

Dhote was also elected as the member of Maharashtra Assembly for five terms. In 1962 and 1967 elections Dhote was elected MLA as a Forward Bloc candidate and in 1978 as Congress member.

Dhote was the first MLA whose membership was suspended in the history of Maharashtra legislature. His membership was cancelled in 1964 when he stunned the house by throwing a paperweight in the direction of the Speakers chair. The firebrand leader also came under criticism when he advocated taking help from naxalites, if needed, for the formation of a separate state of Vidarbha. In 2013, Dhote was arrested in Nagpur for beating up a policeman on duty.

After quitting Congress he founded his own Vidharbha Janta Congress (VJC) Party in 2002. Dhote was the son-in-law of veteran Maharashtra Congress leader Barrister Ramrao Adik.