Hummingbird News Desk
KOLKATA, 8 AUG: Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, former Chief Minister of West Bengal and a stalwart of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), passed away early Thursday morning at his residence on Palm Avenue in Kolkata. He was 80 years old. Bhattacharjee, who had been battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for several years, breathed his last at 8:20 am. He is survived by his wife Mira and son Suchetan.
Bhattacharjee, a towering figure in Bengal’s political landscape, took over as the Chief Minister in 2000, succeeding the long-serving Jyoti Basu, who stepped down due to health concerns. Known for his reformist approach within the Left Front, Bhattacharjee led the coalition to successive victories in the 2001 and 2006 state assembly elections.
As Chief Minister, Bhattacharjee was a strong advocate of industrialization in West Bengal, initiating key projects such as the Tata Nano plant in Singur and planning a Special Economic Zone in Nandigram. His tenure saw significant investments in the Information Technology (IT) and IT-enabled services sectors, marking a shift in the state’s economic landscape.
However, his industrialization drive also sparked controversy, particularly the violent protests in Singur and Nandigram, which eventually played a role in the Left Front’s defeat in the 2011 state elections. Despite the political setbacks, Bhattacharjee remained a respected figure for his integrity, intellectual depth, and commitment to the state’s development.
On Wednesday night, Bhattacharjee’s health took a turn for the worse, with severe breathing difficulties. Plans were made for doctors from Woodlands Hospital to examine him later in the morning, but his condition deteriorated rapidly, and he passed away before he could be hospitalized.
Bhattacharjee had largely withdrawn from public life in recent years due to his declining health. He was last seen in public in 2019 when he attempted to attend a CPI(M) rally but had to return home due to a dust allergy.
Born into a family of priests, Bhattacharjee pursued Bengali literature at Presidency College, Kolkata. He joined the CPI(M) in 1966 and quickly rose through the ranks, heading the party’s youth wing from 1968 to 1981. In 1977, he made his debut as a legislator from the Cossipore Belgachhia constituency and served as the Minister of Information and Public Relations. After losing the 1982 Assembly elections, he shifted to the Jadavpur constituency, representing it as an MLA until 2011.
Bhattacharjee was not just a politician but also a man of culture. Known for his love of art, literature, and cinema, he was a poet and playwright. Evenings often found him at Nandan, Kolkata’s cultural hub, after a day’s work at the Writers’ Buildings or the party’s state headquarters at Alimuddin Street. His personal intervention once ensured the screening of the Russian film “Taurus” at the Kolkata International Film Festival despite protests.
One of his fondly remembered anecdotes was about an encounter with legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray. After the Left Front came to power, Bhattacharjee visited Ray, who humorously chided him for “painting the top of the Monument (Shahid Minar) red,” a reference to the Communist influence. Bhattacharjee had the color restored to white, a gesture reflecting his sensitivity to cultural nuances.
In his later years, despite multiple hospitalizations, Bhattacharjee refused to leave his modest Palm Avenue flat, where he had lived for decades. His commitment to his principles was evident when he refused the Padma Bhushan, awarded by the Narendra Modi government in 2022.
The CPI(M) leader’s mortal remains will be kept at the party’s state office on Friday, as leaders from across the country arrive to pay their respects. His last journey will begin from Alimuddin Street at 4 pm. Following his wish, Bhattacharjee’s body will be donated for medical research, a practice followed by many of his Marxist peers, including his mentor Jyoti Basu.
Bhattacharjee’s passing marks the end of an era in West Bengal politics. A man of letters as much as a man of the people, he leaves behind a legacy of cultural richness, political reform, and unwavering dedication to his state and its people.
Tags: #BuddhadebBhattacherjee #ChiefMinister #CPIM
