This morning, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, a veteran Left leader and former West Bengal Chief Minister, died at his residence in south Kolkata. He was 80 years old. For quite some time before his demise, he had been sickly with frequent hospitalizations due to breathing problems. It was only last year when he contracted pneumonia that he had to be put on life support. Nonetheless, the veteran CPM leader made a comeback.
His wife Meera and son Suchetan are still alive.
Mr Bhattacharjee also served as Bengal Chief Minister from 2000 through 2011 and succeeded Jyoti Basu to this post. During the state polls of 2011 led by Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress which won the election dramatically ending the thirty-four-year Communist regime in eastern India, Mr Bhattacharjee headed the CPM.
Popular for keeping things simple in his daily life, Mr Bhattacharjee passed away at a two-bedroom flat in Palm Avenue that once doubled up as state house for him. This is why his organs will be donated for medical research just like he had wished while his body will lie in state within CPM headquarters so that followers can pay their last respects; finally tomorrow will see him cremated into ashes.
A product of Presidency College Kolkata Mr Bhattacharya left school teaching for politics. After being MSP and cabinet minister’s office attendant, he became Deputy Chief minister after Basu stepped down as Cm in 2000.As CM ,he led CPM into Assembly poll victories in 2001and 2006.
During Jyoti BaSu’s term as chief minister, however; it was different under Mr Bhattacharya. A case of elections that were conducted oppositely what. The Industrialisation-driven land acquisitions associated with these policies brought about the historical defeat of left front government during their historic loss in the election held in 2011.
The Trinamool Congress, which had the majority of only 30 seats in 2006, led the movement against a Tata Motors plant in Singur. In 2008, however, Mr Ratan Tata decided to shift the project to Gujarat blaming Ms Banerjee’s movement at that time. It was completely an anti-Bhattacharjee move when this happened. Equally damaging was the violence in Nandigram where police action against a group protesting against land acquisition for a chemical hub project led to 14 deaths.
Trinamool Congress took advantage of anti-incumbency prevailing over Left Front rule and negative public perception about the state government’s land acquisition policy by winning 184 seats during the polls held in 2011. The result of this election marked a fall from grace for the Left that it is yet to recover from. Over next decade BJP overtook it as main Opposition and Left now survives as merely minor force in their home state they once ruled unchallenged for many decades.
Mr Bhattacharjee’s family received condolences expressed by Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose while Chief minister Banerjee also sent her message of condolence in which she revealed her long association with this senior CPM leader saying “I am very upset.My condolences to Meera di, Suchetan and to all supporters of CPM. We have already taken a decision that we shall give him full respect and ceremonial honour during his last journey and rites,” she said.
Suvendu Adhikari, the opposition leader of BJP, expressed his deep unhappiness over this information and shared his sympathy with Bhattacharjee’s family and friends.
According to CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, Mr. Bhattacharjee’s death is greatly distressing. “His fidelity towards our party, West Bengal, our common beliefs and also his foresight will always be a guiding light,” he added.
