Veteran Left leader and former West Bengal Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee died at his Palm Avenue residence in south Calcutta on Thursday morning. He was 80.

Bhattacharjee served as the Bengal Chief Minister from 2000 to 2011. He was the second and last CPI(M) chief minister succeeded by Jyoti Basu. He was a former member of the CPI(M) Politburo.

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কমরেড বুদ্ধদেব ভট্টাচার্য লাল সেলাম।

কমরেড বুদ্ধদেব ভট্টাচার্য অমর রহে। pic.twitter.com/H7JLlz9beL

— CPI(M) WEST BENGAL (@CPIM_WESTBENGAL) August 8, 2024

CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury described Bhattacharjee’s death as “shattering”. “His dedication to the party, West Bengal, our shared ideals and also his ability to look ahead will always function as a lodestar,” Yechury said in a post on X.

The CPI(M) leader is survived by his wife Mira and daughter Suchetana.

In 2011 West Bengal Assembly polls, Bhattacharjee unsuccessfully led the party when the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) posed a historic win ending the 34-year CPI(M)-Left Front rule in the state.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her condolences over the demise of the CPI(M) stalwart.

Shocked and saddened by the sudden demise of the former Chief Minister Sri Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. I have been knowing him for last several decades, and visited him a few times when he was ill and effectively confined to home in the last few years.

My very sincere condolences…

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) August 8, 2024

Extending condolences, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote on X: “A resolute Marxist, he devoted his life to fostering an egalitarian society, championing the cause of the marginalized, and advocating for social justice.”

Deeply saddened by the passing away of Comrade Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, a stalwart of the Left movement and former Chief Minister of West Bengal. His steadfast dedication and service to both the state and the nation will be eternally remembered.

A resolute Marxist, he devoted… pic.twitter.com/WOVDWBxICF

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) August 8, 2024

Bhattacharjee is known for simple lifestyle. Before associating politics full-time, he worked as a school teacher.  He was an alumnus of Presidency College, Kolkata.

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During his political career, Bhattacharjee served as an MLA, a state minister and Deputy Chief Minister. He helmed the party to Assembly poll victories in 2001 and 2006.

During his tenure as chief minister, different from the party, the Left Front government had a relatively open policy towards business. He initiated industrialisation drives to attract investments and create jobs in the state. Incidentally, this open business policy and land acquisitions related to industrialisation turned out to be huge factor in Left’s defeat in the 2011 election.