Former Chief Minister of West Bengal and veteran community party leader, the face of the ‘reformist’ left, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee tragically passed away at the age of 80 on Thursday, August 8, at around 8:20 AM. He passed away at his residence in Bullyganj of Kolkata and his demise was confirmed by his family. Bhattacharjee had reportedly been battling age-related health issues. He was survived by his wife Mira and his daughter Suchetana.
Bhattacharjee Donated His Body For Medical Science
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee turned 80 in March this year and had been struggling with age-related health problems for a while. He was also hospitalized in the recent past due to his health ailments, which have also caused him to stay apart from public life. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) State Secretary Mohammed Salim confirmed the news of his demise on Thursday and also reported that the leader has donated his body for medical science which will be submitted to the hospital after people have paid their last tribute to Bhattacharjee.
About Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was the last Left Chief Minister of West Bengal, who served from the year 2000 to the year 2011. Bhattacharjee lost the 2011 Assembly Elections to the current Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC). This marked the end of a 34-year-old rule of the Left in the eastern state of India. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee stepped down from the CPI(M) politburo along with the central committee in the year 2015. He also gave up his membership as the party’s state secretariat three years later.
Bhattacharjee Was Confined To His Home Due To Health Ailments
The former Left Chief Minister of West Bengal has mostly kept away from the public view in recent years. He had reportedly been staying at a two-room government flat in South Kolkata’s Palm Avenue. As per sources, his last public appearance occurred before the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections in Kolkata, after he had surprised his party colleagues by arriving at the Left Rally’s Brigade Parade Grounds unannounced, with oxygen tanks.
Mamata Banerjee And Suvendu Adhikari Express Condolences
Present Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee took to the social media platform ‘X’ to share that she had been shocked and saddened upon hearing the news of Buddhaddeb Bhattacharya’s sudden demise. She mentioned knowing him for the last several decades. She also said that she would visit him when he was sick and confined to his home. Furthermore, the State BJP President and the leader of the opposition in the state assembly, Suvendu Adhikari also expressed his condolences to the Bhattacharjee family.
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…
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) August 8, 2024