Bengal opposition leader to undergo permanent pacemaker implant

West Bengal Leader of the Opposition Abdul Mannan, admitted in the ICU of a city hospital a day after he was taken ill during a scuffle with the security staff in the state assembly, would undergo a pacemaker implantation on Friday, the hospital said.

"Mannan is conscious, alert, oriented and aware. He is haemodynamically stable on paced rhythm," said a bulletin issued by the Apollo Gleneagles Hospital, where the senior Congress leader was shifted on Thursday.

The implant would be done under the supervision of cardiologist Suvro Banerjee.

On Wednesday, Mannan underwent a temporary pacemaker implant at the G.D. Hospital and Diabetes Institute.

Mannan had to be admitted to the G.D. Hospital due to high blood pressure and a complete heart blockage after he was forcibly removed by the security staff following his suspension by Speaker Biman Banerjee.

"After his admission in our hospital yesterday we found that he had a serious second degree heart block. So we didn't take any chances and installed a temporary pace-maker. After that he was absolutely fine throughout the night. His condition was also stable in the morning," said attending physician Subhasish Ganguly of G.D. Hospital.

Mannan and other opposition legislators were protesting against the West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order (Amendment) Bill, 2017, brought by the Mamata Banerjee-led state government, which envisages stringent measures against destruction of public property.

The Speaker slapped a two-day suspension on Mannan for disobeying his order to remove aprons, placards and posters containing pictures of the vandalism in the assembly lobby on November 30, 2006, by then opposition Trinamool Congress members.

Defying the Speaker, Mannan went near the Speaker's podium in the House and other Congress legislators also joined the scuffle.

--IANS

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