Bengal minister Sadhan Pandey dies at 71 after prolonged illness

KOLKATA: Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and West Bengal minister for consumer affairs and self-employment Sadhan Pandey died at a private hospital in Mumbai on Sunday morning after prolonged illness. He was 71.

Expressing her condolences, chief minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted: “Our senior colleague, party leader and Cabinet Minister Sadhan Pande has passed away today morning at Mumbai. Had a wonderful relation for long. Deeply pained at this loss. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, followers.”

Pandey had been suffering from lung infection and other complications for more than two years. He went abroad for treatment, TMC leaders said in Kolkata.

Pandey represented Kolkata’s Burtolla assembly constituency 5 times since 1987, when he was in the Congress, and the Manicktala constituency 3 times since 2011. He joined the TMC after its formation in 1998.

TMC leaders said Pandey’s body will be brought to Kolkata. The cremation will take place on Monday.