Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, the former Chief Minister of West Bengal and a prominent leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)), has passed away at his residence in Kolkata on Thursday morning. He was 80 years old. Bhattacharya’s death marks the end of a significant era in West Bengal’s political history.
Bhattacharya’s health had been in decline for several years. On July 29, 2023, he was admitted to a private hospital in Alipore due to multiple health issues, including a lower respiratory tract infection and ‘Type 2’ respiratory failure. He had been battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other age-related ailments, which contributed to his deteriorating condition.
Buddhadeb Bhattacharya took over as the Chief Minister of West Bengal in 2000 from Jyoti Basu, a senior leader of the CPI(M). Bhattacharya served as Chief Minister for 11 consecutive years during the Left Front’s rule, making him the second and last CPI(M) chief minister during the 34-year tenure of the Left Front government in Bengal.
His tenure saw significant changes in the state’s governance, but his leadership came to an end in 2011 when the CPI(M)-led Left Front lost the assembly elections to Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC). This electoral defeat marked the end of the Left Front’s long-standing rule in West Bengal, a position from which the CPI(M) has yet to recover.
In the years following his electoral defeat, Bhattacharya largely stayed out of the public eye due to his health issues. His last notable public appearance was at a Left Front rally at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata, just before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where he made an unexpected visit with the aid of oxygen support.
Bhattacharya resigned from the CPI(M)’s Politburo and Central Committee in 2015 and ceased to be a member of the party’s state secretariat in 2018. His withdrawal from active politics was a result of his ongoing health problems.
Bhattacharya is survived by his wife, Mira, and their daughter, Suchetana. His passing is a significant loss to his family and to those who remember his impact on West Bengal’s political landscape.
The death of Buddhadeb Bhattacharya marks the end of an influential chapter in West Bengal’s political history. His tenure as Chief Minister and his role in the CPI(M) have left a lasting legacy in the state’s governance and political discourse. As tributes and condolences pour in from across the political spectrum, Bhattacharya’s contributions and his leadership during a pivotal era in West Bengal’s history will be remembered.
