Subrata Mukherjee, who was the state’s panchayat minister, was 75 years old. His family consists of his wife. (file)
Kolkata:
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that senior Trinamool Congress leader Subrata Mukherjee passed away on Thursday at a government hospital in Kolkata while undergoing treatment for heart disease.
Mukherjee, who was the state’s panchayat minister, was 75. His family consists of his wife.
Mukherjee was also in-charge of three other departments.
State minister Firhad Hakim said the veteran politician, who underwent angioplasty earlier this week, died at 9.22 pm after suffering cardiac arrest.
The Chief Minister, who was performing Kali Puja at his Kalighat residence, visited the SSKM Hospital and announced that he was no more.
“I still can’t believe that he is no more with us. He was such a dedicated party leader. It is a personal loss for me,” he said.
His mortal remains will be taken to the state-owned auditorium Rabindra Sadan on Friday to pay last respects to the people. From there, it will be taken to his Ballygunge home and then to his ancestral home, Ms Banerjee said.
Hospital sources said the minister had ‘stent thrombosis’, one of the fatal complications of percutaneous coronary intervention.
Sources said that Mukherjee, who was admitted to the hospital on October 24 following breathing problems, underwent angioplasty, when two stents were inserted in his blocked arteries on November 1.
He was suffering from high blood sugar, COPD and other age related ailments.
After being arrested and sent to jail in the Narada sting tape case, the former Kolkata mayor was hospitalized in May with similar ailments. He was out on bail.
Mukherjee was a rising and rising Congress leader from West Bengal during the second term of Prime Ministership of Indira Gandhi in the 1970s. He along with other two Congress leaders – Somen Mitra and Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi made a trident.
Mukherjee and Mitra joined the Mamata Banerjee-led party in 2010 and 2008 respectively. While Mitra returned to his old party in 2014, Mukherjee remained in the TMC. Dasmunshi and Mitra died in 2017 and 2020 respectively.
“I have faced many calamities in my life but this is a huge setback. I don’t think there will be any other man like Subrata da who was such a good and hardworking person. The party and its constituency (Ballygunge) belonged to his soul. I will not be able to see Subrata da’s body.”
Ms. Banerjee said, “This evening the principal of the hospital told me that Subrata da is fine and he will go back home tomorrow. The doctors did their best.”
West Bengal Pradesh Congress President Adhir Chaudhary also condoled his death.
He said, “It is a big loss for West Bengal. It seems that I have lost my elder brother. A few days ago, I went to see him in the hospital and spoke to him. It is a big blow to Indian politics. It’s a big loss.”
BJP’s West Bengal President Dr Sukanta Majumdar described Mukherjee’s death as the end of a great era in Bengal politics.
“It is definitely very sad. He was the youngest cabinet minister in the Siddhartha Shankar Ray government. From then till today, he was a popular politician. May his soul rest in peace.”
Senior CPI(M) leader and former Kolkata Mayor Vikas Ranjan Bhattacharya said, “He is a politician of the bygone era. He has always been a smiling personality and an intelligent politician. We may have some differences but I consider him one. I am one of the best politicians from Benal I have ever seen.”
Mukherjee was also the head of a club that organizes one of the city’s most popular Durga Pujas.
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