Former chief minister of West Bengal and prominent Communist Party (Marxist) leader, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, passed away on Thursday at the age of 80.
Bhattacharjee was admitted to a private hospital in Alipor, Calcutta on July 29 2023. He was being treated for pneumonia and had to be put on ventilation.
Also Read: Visva-Bharati shifts venue of Tagore death anniversary event from Bangladesh Bhawan
In a political career spanning over five decades, he led his state as the seventh chief minister from 2000 to 2011, before Mamata Banerjee came to power. His resignation saw the end of a 34-year-old Left Front rule in the state.
Also Read: In OBC reservation case, Supreme Court seeks data from Mamata-led West Bengal govt
Here is everything you need to know about the veteran communist leader
From literature to politics
Born on March 1, 1944, to a family of priests and writers, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was introduced to literature early in his life. His grandfather, Krishnachandra Smrititirtha had written a priestly manual and his father ran a publication called Saraswat Library.
He studied Bengali literature at Presidency College in Kolkata and became a government teacher after graduation.
{{/usCountry}}He studied Bengali literature at Presidency College in Kolkata and became a government teacher after graduation.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read: Bangladesh unrest: BSF asks villagers in WB to stay clear of border areas
In 1966, he joined the CPM, and by 1977 he became an MLA for the first time from Cossipore in North Kolkata, just as the CPM rose to power in Bengal under the leadership of Jyoti Basu.
Jyoti Basu, five-time chief minister, took Bhattacharjee under his wing, often touting him as his successor in the CPM.
From 1987 to 1986, Bhattacharjee served as the minister of information and culture and from 1996-99 as minister of home affairs. On November 6, 2000, he became the chief minister of Bengal.
Achievements and controversies
Chief minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee enacted several policies to boost industrial development and IT services in the state. From 2001 to 2005 the state witnessed a 70 per cent growth in the IT industry.
However, his industrial policies soon ran into trouble, with allegations of labour violations in 2006. Inhabitants of a village called Nandigram protested against his government's plans to set up a chemical processing hub. On March 14, 2007, 14 protestors were killed in a police firing.
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee also made headlines for refusing the Padma Bhushan being awarded to him in 2022, stating that his consent had not been asked and he did not want the award.
Personal life
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is survived by his wife Meera and his son Suchetan.
Post his role as chief minister, he had asked to be relieved as a member of his party but was retained. He has also published books in Bengali such as The Rise and Fall of Nazi Germany (2018), Chaos under Heaven (2019) and more.