Tributes have been pouring in after the death of former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. Bhattacharjee, who passed away at 80. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “I am saddened by the passing of former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. He was a strong political leader who served his state’s people with dedication. My heartfelt condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti!”
Notably, the Modi government had offered Bhattacharjee the Padma Bhushan two years ago, but he declined the honor due to his illness. In addition to Modi, many national and state leaders have paid their respects. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote: “In his five-decade-long political career, he served the people diligently. My deep condolences to his family and colleagues.” CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury wrote: “When I received the news of Buddhadeb’s passing, I was undergoing eye surgery. The news shattered me. His dedication to the party and his vision for West Bengal will continue to guide us.”
West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose in his condolence message, said, “Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was a leader, who earned people’s love and respect in all aspects of life. His simple lifestyle, high thoughts and interest in literature and culture endeared him to many.”
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee too paid her tributes to the former CM. Trinamul Congress national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee also commented: “I am profoundly saddened. My heartfelt condolences to his family and admirers, and I wish eternal peace for his departed soul.” Leader of Opposition in Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari said, “I am grieved by the death of former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. My condolences to his family and followers. I pray for his soul’s eternal peace. Om Shanti.”
State minister Bratya Basu said, “The people of Bengal have lost a prominent leader. I extend my condolences to his family and countless admirers during this period of mourning.” BJP state president and Union minister for state Sukanta Majumdar, in his message said, “We are deeply saddened. On behalf of myself and my party, I extend condolences to his grieving family. Despite our political differences, I respected him personally. He was one of Bengal’s most popular politicians.” CPM politburo member Mohammed Selim said: “He was battling life fiercely and doctors made every effort, but ultimately, he did not survive.” Veteran communist leader Biman Basu said, “When the news came, I was so shocked I could not get up.”
BJP Rajya Sabha member Shamik Bhattacharya said, “Like many others, I am deeply shocked. Despite political differences, it’s undeniable that Buddhadeb sought the infinite within his party’s limits. His era saw significant industrial potential in West Bengal. His political transparency and economic integrity will serve as a model for any political worker. My condolences to his family and I wish for his soul’s peace.” Former Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said, “Former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee passed away at 80, leaving his mortal body for the immortal realm. I pray for his soul’s peace.”
Industrialist Sanjiv Goenka said, “I held Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in great respect. He had a remarkable human side and an extraordinary ability to inspire. Bengal has lost a great leader.” Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly said, “I had a very good relationship with him. He was a completely cricket-crazy person. I was the captain of India at the time, and we had extensive discussions about cricket. I was the captain for six years, and whenever we spoke, it was always about cricket. We didn’t just talk about contemporary Indian cricket; we even discussed Pankaj Roy’s batting.” Sourav also mentioned that despite their many conversations, Buddhadeb never discussed politics with him. He said, “Even though we spoke many times, he never asked me to get involved in politics. He never said a single word about politics. He was that generous.”