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CPI-M Tripura secretary Gautam Das succumbs to Covid in Kolkata hospital
Das, 70, was tested positive for Covid towards the end of August and was admitted to a private hospital in Agartala. As his condition deteriorated, he was shifted to the Kolkata hospital on September
Communist Party of India (Marxist) secretary for Tripura, Gautam Das, succumbed to Covid at a private hospital in Kolkata on Thursday. He is survived by his wife Tapati Sen, and daughter Swagata Das.
Das, 70, was tested positive for Covid towards the end of August and was admitted to a private hospital in Agartala. As his condition deteriorated, he was shifted to the Kolkata hospital on September 6.
Das joined CPM in 1968, and became the Tripura state committee member in 1986. He was elected to the state secretariat in 1994 and became the party secretary in 2018.
Das edited party’s mouthpiece ‘Daily Desher Katha’ from 1979 to 2015 and was one of the founding members of the Agartala Press Club.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) politburo has conveyed condolences to Das’s family. “His departure, coming at a time when the Party is valiantly facing vicious and violent attacks in Tripura, is a big loss,” it politburo said in a statement.
Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb also condoled Das’s death. “I am deeply mourned at demise of CPM state secretary Goutam Das. I pray for the departed soul to rest in peace. I pray to God to give strength to the bereaved family to endure the pain,” he tweeted.
Das’s death has comes at a time when the CPI(M) unit is at loggerheads with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party almost every day while Bengal’s Trinamool Congress is trying to emerge as a challenger to chief minister Deb.
The CPI(M) ruled Tripura from 1978 to 1988 and again from 1993 to 2018.
(With inputs from Tanmay Chatterjee)