The last rites of the departed veteran pro-Vidarbha leader Jambuwantrao Dhote would be performed at his native village Pimpri Lasina in Yavatmal district tomorrow. Dhote passed away at Yavatmal Civil Hospital following a heart stroke in wee hours today. He was 83.<br/><br/>The staunch leader, who strived continuously for creation of separate Vidarbha state, represented Yavatmal constituency five times in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. Beginning his career as a Physical Education teacher at a Yavatmal Municipal School, Dhote first defeated the senior Congress leader Jawaharlal Darda to become a Member of Municipal Council. <br/><br/>He was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from Yavatmal constituency on the Forward Bloc ticket. His membership was cancelled in 1964 for unruly behavior in the house, but he was re-elected in the Bye-election conducted in the same constituency. He also won the third successive election in 1967 and also contested the following Lok Sabha Election unsuccessfully. <br/><br/> Dhote became a Member of the Lok Sabha in 1971 on the Forward Bloc ticket and returned to the State Assembly in 1978 through pact with Indira Congress. He also got elected on Congress ticket from Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency later in 1980.<br/><br/>The senior leader, who led different agitations over the decades for various issues concerning the masses, left the Congress and founded Vidarbha Janata Congress in September 2002. He was quite active in the pro-Vidarbha movement till last.<br/><br/>Maharashtra Chief Minister Mr. Devendra Fadnavis, Finance Minister Mr. Sudhir Mungantiwar, Deputy Chairman of Legislative Council Mr. Manikrao Thakre, Guardian Minister of the district Mr. Sanjay Rathod and other dignitaries from various spheres of life have condoled demise of the veteran leader.