Pune: Dattopant Thengadi, senior RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh) ideologue and founder of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and Swadeshi Jagran Manch, died in Pune this evening (Oct 14, 2004), RSS sources said.

The 63-year old Thengadi, who was convalescing after a minor surgery recently, fell down in the bathroom this afternoon and was rushed to the Deendayal Hospital where he breathed his last at 16:30 hours.

RSS Chief K S Sudarshan, who is in Nagpur, is rushing to Pune, the sources said.

Thengadi, an RSS Pracharak for over six decades, was a Member of the Rajya Sabha for 12 years.

He was in news during the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) regime for his criticism of the "anti-farmer" and "anti-labour" policies of the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)-led Government.

Thengadi also declined to accept the 'Padmashri' offered to him by the Vajpayee Government on the grounds that many people senior to him deserved higher awards.