Former Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Passes Away at 80

Kolkata: Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, the veteran Left leader and former Chief Minister of West Bengal, passed away this morning at his residence in south Kolkata. He was 80 years old.

He had been unwell for a while, suffering from respiratory problems that led to frequent hospitalizations. Last year, after contracting pneumonia, he required life support. Despite this, the veteran CPM leader made a remarkable recovery.

Mr Bhattacharjee, a former member of the CPM's top decision-making body, the Politburo, served as Bengal's Chief Minister from 2000 to 2011. His tenure ended when the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress took over, ending the 34-year Communist rule in the eastern state.