Kolkata: Former Chief Minister of West Bengal and veteran CPM leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharya passed away on Thursday at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness, his family confirmed.
Bhattacharya had been admitted to a private hospital in Alipore, Kolkata, on July 29, 2023, due to multiple health issues. He was diagnosed with pneumonia and required ventilation support. Although he showed signs of recovery and was discharged on August 9, his condition worsened in the following months.
Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, the second CPM leader to serve as Chief Minister of West Bengal, held office from 2000 to 2011. His tenure marked the end of the Left Front government’s 34-year rule in the state, as the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) came to power in 2011.
Bhattacharya was known for his intellectual acumen and efforts to modernize West Bengal, but his tenure was also marred by controversies such as the Nandigram and Singur incidents, which played a significant role in the CPM’s eventual electoral defeat.