Senior Congress Leader and former Member of Parliament Balkrishna Ramchandra Wasnik passed away following cardiac arrest today. He was 86. The last rites on his mortal remains would be performed in Nagpur tomorrow morning.<br/><br/>A dedicated activist, who worked for development of the Dalits and other deprived and underprivileged sections of the society right from his youth days, Wasnik represented the Bhandara Lok Sabha constituency in 1957 and 1962. Then he shifted to Buldhana Lok Sabha constituency and was elected from there in 1980.<br/><br/>A staunch supporter of separate Vidarbha, he became President of the Mahavidarbha Rajya Sangharsh Samiti in 1967 and mobilized the agitation to press for this demand. He is survived by his elder son and All India Congress Committee General Secretary and Former Union Minister Mukul Wasnik and two daughters along with other family members. Many prominent people from various spheres of life have expressed grief over the death of the Dalit leader.