Cong condoles Bengal unit chief Somen Mitra's death; leaders hail him as 'fighter'

The Congress on Thursday condoled the passing away of party's West Bengal unit president Somen Mitra, with senior leaders hailing him as a "fighter" who was respected across the political spectrum.

The Congress on Thursday condoled the passing away of party's West Bengal unit president Somen Mitra, with senior leaders hailing him as a "fighter" who was respected across the political spectrum. Mitra died at a Kolkata hospital early Thursday. He was 78.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi condoled Mitra's demise, describing him as a leader with resolve and determination. She said that in his demise, Bengal, as indeed the Congress Party, had lost a pillar of strength. She underlined that his contributions and services to the people as a legislator, parliamentarian and president of the PCC will always be remembered.

"We are shocked and deeply saddened by the untimely demise of senior Congress leader & West Bengal PCC President, Shri Somen Mitra. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family in this time of grief," the Congress said in a tweet on its official Twitter handle. In a letter to Mitra's wife Shikha, former prime minister Manmohan Singh praised him, saying he was a leader of high esteem and respected by everybody irrespective of party lines.

"He was a great parliamentarian and seven-term MLA from the Sealdah assembly constituency. He touched the lives of millions of people in his long journey. In his death, West Bengal has lost a respected and dedicated leader of the masses," Singh said. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said the veteran leader will be remembered with "love, fondness and respect".

"All my love and support to family and friends of Somen Mitra at this difficult time. We will remember him with love, fondness and respect," he said in a tweet. Noting that Mitra's demise is "deeply disturbing", Congress general secretary and in-charge of organisation, K C Venugopal, said he was a loving soul and respected across the political spectrum.

Senior party leader P Chidambaram said, "I am deeply saddened by the passing away of my colleague and friend, Shri Somen Mitra, president of the WBPCC. He was a fighter and crusader throughout his political career." "His demise at this point of time leaves a big void in the Congress party in West Bengal. I offer my sincere and heartfelt condolences to the members of his family and to all Congressmen and women in West Bengal," the former Union minister said in a statement. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the news of the death of veteran leader Mitra was disturbing.

"May God give peace to the departed soul and give his family courage to bear the loss. My condolences to the bereaved family," she said in a tweet in Hindi. Congress chief ministers -- Amarinder Singh, Ashok Gehlot, Bhupesh Baghel and V Narayanasamy -- of Punjab, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Puducherry respectively, also condoled Mitra's demise.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Mitra's demise was a huge loss for the party and the state of West Bengal. Mitra passed away around 1.30 am following a cardiac arrest, the hospital sources said, adding that he had tested negative for COVID-19.

He is survived by his wife and son. A three-time president of the Congress West Bengal unit from 1992-1996, 1996-1998 and then again from September 2018, Mitra was a seven-term MLA from Sealdah.

He left the Congress in 2008 to form his political outfit Pragatisheel (Progressive) Indira Congress. He later merged his outfit with the Trinamool Congress ahead of the 2009 Lok Sabha polls and won the election on a TMC ticket from the Diamond Harbour parliamentary seat that year. Mitra quit TMC to rejoin Congress in 2014. He was one of the chief architects of the CPI (M)-led Left Front and Congress alliance in West Bengal during the 2016 assembly polls.