The CPI (M) stalwart passed away at 8.20 am. He was suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Bhattacharjee had fever from the last few days and succumbed to his chronic disease.
He served as he chief minister of the state for two terms from 2000-2011. Bhattacharjee led the CPI (M)-led Left Front to two consecutive electoral victories in 2001 and 2006 West Bengal assembly elections. He was the man who attempted to industrialise West Bengal. Among his efforts were to bring IT and industry investments to the state, were invitations to setup a manufacturing unit of Tata Nano in Sungur and a plan to set up the country’s largest steel plant in Salboni.
However, his plans backfired as it faced protests from Congress and TMC over land acquisition for the projects. His party faced a bad defeat in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections and lost the 2011 state Assembly elections. Bhattacharjee himself lost his constituency.
Bhattacharjee’s political career spanned for over five decades. He joined the the CPI (M) in 1966 and was elected as the state secretary of the Democratic Youth Federation, the youth wing of the CPI(M) n 1968. The leader was later made the member of state committee of CPI(M) in 1972 and was inducted in the state secretariat in 1982.
