Former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Passes Away at 80

Former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, aged 80, passed away at his Kolkata home. He was suffering from old age-related ailments. Bhattacharjee served as chief minister from 2000 to 2011, during which his tenure saw significant political events, including agitations over land acquisition leading to his party's defeat in 2011.

Former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee passed away on Thursday at his residence in Kolkata, confirmed CPI(M) state secretary Mohd Salim.

Bhattacharjee, who was battling age-related health issues, died at the age of 80. He leaves behind his wife Mira and daughter Suchetana.

According to a party official, Bhattacharjee passed away at around 8:30 am. The veteran CPI(M) leader succeeded Jyoti Basu as Chief Minister of West Bengal in 2000. He lost the 2011 assembly election to Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, ending the CPI(M)-led Left Front's 34-year rule in the state.

His tenure saw substantial agitation over land acquisition for industries, spearheaded by current Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Bhattacharjee stepped down from the CPI(M) politburo and central committee in 2015, and resigned from the party's state secretariat in 2018. In recent years, he remained largely out of the public eye, residing in his government apartment at Palm Avenue, South Kolkata.

(With inputs from agencies.)