Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, a veteran leader of the Left and former Chief Minister of West Bengal, passed away this morning at his residence in south Kolkata. He was 80 years old and had been battling respiratory issues, which had required frequent hospitalizations. Last year, he had a severe bout of pneumonia that necessitated life support, but he recovered and remained active.
Mr. Bhattacharjee, who was also a key member of the CPM’s Politburo, served as Chief Minister of Bengal from 2000 to 2011, succeeding Jyoti Basu. His tenure saw significant political changes, including the historic 2011 state elections where Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress ended the Left Front’s 34-year rule in West Bengal.
He is survived by his wife Meera and son Suchetan.
After graduating from Presidency College, Kolkata, Mr. Bhattacharjee initially worked as a school teacher before entering full-time politics. He started his political career as an MLA and served as a state minister, eventually rising to the position of Deputy Chief Minister before Jyoti Basu’s retirement in 2000.
As Chief Minister, he led the CPM to victory in the Assembly elections of 2001 and 2006. His tenure marked a departure from the stricter business policies of the Jyoti Basu era, with the Left Front government adopting a more open approach towards business and industrialization. Ironically, these policies, along with controversies over land acquisition for industrial projects, contributed to the Left’s surprising defeat in the 2011 elections.
In 2006, the Trinamool Congress, which had won only 30 seats, spearheaded the opposition against the Tata Motors plant in Singur. This movement gained momentum and led to Ratan Tata deciding to relocate the project to Gujarat in 2008, citing the protests led by Ms. Banerjee as a major reason. This setback was significant for Mr. Bhattacharjee’s government. Another blow came from the violence in Nandigram, where police action during protests against land acquisition for a chemical hub resulted in the tragic deaths of 14 people.
Ms. Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress capitalized politically on the anti-incumbency sentiment against the Left Front’s rule and widespread criticism of the state government’s land acquisition policies. In the 2011 elections, Trinamool swept to power with 184 seats, marking the beginning of the Left’s decline that continues to this day. Over the next decade, the BJP emerged as the primary opposition, relegating the Left to a minor force in a state it once dominated unchallenged for decades.
Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose and Chief Minister Banerjee expressed their condolences to Mr. Bhattacharjee’s family. Chief Minister Banerjee, reflecting on her long association with the veteran Left leader, conveyed her sadness and extended sympathies to his family and CPM supporters. Leader of the Opposition, BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, also expressed deep sorrow at the news and offered his condolences to Mr. Bhattacharjee’s family and supporters.