Who Was Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Ex-CM Who Sought To Bring Tata Nano To West Bengal?

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) bade farewell to Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, former Chief Minister of West Bengal, who passed away on Thursday morning. Bhattacharjee, suffering from acute respiratory distress and fever, was a COPD patient and left behind a substantial legacy in Indian politics.

A prominent figure in the CPI(M), Bhattacharjee served as the 7th Chief Minister of West Bengal from 2000 to 2011, making him one of India’s longest-serving chief ministers. His tenure was marked by a relatively open stance on business, diverging from the CPI (M)’s traditional anti-capitalist approach.

However, his policies on land acquisitions and allegations of violence against protesters sparked strong opposition and controversies, contributing to his party’s loss in the 2011 election, ending the Left Front’s 34-year rule in West Bengal, the world’s longest-serving democratically elected communist government.

Bhattacharjee first became Chief Minister in 2000 and led the CPI (M)-led Left Front to victories in the 2001 and 2006 state elections, securing 199 and 235 seats, respectively.

However, his party suffered significant losses in the 2009 Lok Sabha election and faced a defeat in the 2011 state assembly election, leading to his resignation on May 13, 2011.