Former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has passed away at the age of 80. Bhattacharjee, who played a significant role in the Tata Nano Singur project, breathed his last at his residence in Ballygunge at around 8:20 am, as confirmed by his family.
Tributes from West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee paid her respects on X (formerly Twitter). She mentioned that Bhattacharjee had been unwell and confined to his home during the last few years of his life.
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
A Brief Look at His Career
- Early Life and Politics: Before entering politics full-time, Bhattacharjee worked as a school teacher. He was a member of the CPI(M) Politburo and served as the second and last CPI(M) Chief Minister during the Left’s 34-year rule in West Bengal.
- Tenure as Chief Minister: Bhattacharjee was in office for 11 years from 2000 to 2011, succeeding Jyoti Basu. He was known for his simple lifestyle, living in a modest two-room apartment in Ballygunge, where he also operated as Chief Minister.
- End of Political Career: After losing the 2011 assembly election to the Trinamool Congress (TMC), he stepped down from the CPI(M) Politburo and central committee in 2015 and left the state secretariat in 2018.
- Final Years: Bhattacharjee stayed away from public life in his later years, with his last public appearance being in Kolkata before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where he arrived at a rally with oxygen support, surprising many.
Bhattacharjee is survived by his wife Mira and daughter Suchetana. His passing marks the end of an era in West Bengal’s political landscape.