Former minister in the CPM-led Left Front regime Biswanath Chowdhury died of cancer on Saturday at SSKM Hospital. He was 83.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee who took initiatives to admit Chowdhury to the state-run SSKM Hospital cum Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research (IPGME&R) also expressed deep shock with the death of former jail and social welfare minister in the Left Front between 1987 and 2011 in West Bengal. She has also expressed condolence to the bereaved family members of the departed leader.
Chowdhury, who became the MLA for the first time in 1977, was defeated by Trinamul Congress-nominated candidate Shankar Chakraborty from Raiganj in 2011 Assembly elections in the state.
Paying tribute to the veteran politician the government announced a half-day holiday on Saturday in all state-run offices.
Chowdhury, who was a seven-time MLA of RSP, a Left Front partner, in a row from Raiganj assembly constituency in North Dinajpur district was suffering from cancer for the last several years. He was undergoing treatment in a private hospital in the city but it proved difficult for his family to bear the treatment costs in the private healthcare facilities for years.
With the initiatives of Miss Banerjee, he was admitted to the SSKM hospital on 16 July. His body will be taken to Balurghat for last rites, according to RSP sources.