File image of former West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. Photo: Collected hoto
Former chief minister of India's West Bengal and Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee passed away on Thursday morning in Kolkata at the age of 80.
Bhattacharjee had been suffering from old age-related ailments. He is survived by his wife Mira and Daughter Suchetana.
According to party officials, Bhattacharjee died at around 8:30am, reports Times of India.
Talking about the demise, CPI(M) West Bengal State Secretary Md Salim said the leader had donated his body for medical science which will be submitted to the hospital after allowing people to pay their last respects.
"It's very sad news for us and the state and all those people of the country who think about the labourers and common people... As a good administrator, honest person, aggressive secular and such a leader, losing him is a loss for all of us."
"As he had donated his body for medical science, we will submit his body to the hospital after allowing people to pay last respect," he added.
Bhattacharjee became West Bengal's chief minister in 2000 and held office for 11 consecutive years. Bhattacharjee was the second and the last CPM chief minister followed by Jyoti Basu.
Bhattacharjee lost the 2011 assembly election to the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, and the CPI(M)-led Left Front's 34-year-long rule in the state came to an end that year.
He stepped down from the CPI(M) politburo and central committee in 2015 and gave up membership of the party's state secretariat in 2018.
Over the last few years, he mostly stayed away from public engagements and remained confined to his two-room government apartment on Palm Avenue in south Kolkata.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed condolences on Bhattacharjee's death and announced that the state government will give the leader full respect and ceremonial honour during his last journey and rites.
Taking to X, Mamata said: "Shocked and saddened by the sudden demise of the former chief minister Sri Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. I have been knowing him for last several decades, and visited him a few times when he was ill and effectively confined to home in the last few years."
"My very sincere condolences to Meeradi and Suchetan at this hour of grief. I communicate my condolences to the members of the CPI(M) party and all his followers. We have already taken a decision that we shall give him full respect and ceremonial honour during his last journey and rites," she added.
Suvendu Adhikari, state BJP president and leader of opposition in the state assembly, also said he is “deeply saddened” by the news and expressed his condolences to Bhattacharjee's family.
