West Bengal Congress president Somen Mitra passed away at a Kolkata hospital early on Thursday due to cardiac arrest. He was 78.
Mitra was in the hospital for 17 days due to heart and kidney-related problems. He was rushed to the hospital after his creatinine level was found to be high during a thorough routine check-up. Doctors at the private hospital, where Mitra was admitted, said he died due to age ailments which led to a cardiac arrest. He is survived by wife and son.
A stalwart in Bengal politics, Mitra's political career began during the tumultuous '60s as a student leader and spanned over five decades. A seven-term MLA from Sealdah constituency and a three-time president of the Congress' Bengal chapter, Mitra stepped into politics through student politics and he was baptized into the Congress in late 60s.
Mitra was first elected to the Bengal Assembly in 1972 as Congress MLA from the Sealdah Assembly Constituency. He was re-elected to the state Assembly in 1977 as Janata Party member.
Popularly known as chorda in Bengal's political circuit, he left the Congress in 2008 and formed a new political outfit Pragatisheel (Progressive) Indira Congress. Ahead of the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, he joined Trinamool Congress and won on a TMC ticket from Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha seat. Mitra quit TMC in 2014 to rejoin the Congress. He again became WBPCC president in 2018. He was one of the main architects behind the Left Front and Congress alliance in the 2016 Assembly polls.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and other senior political leaders condoled the demise of the Bengal Congress chief.
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and a number of senior party leaders condoled his demise. Taking to Twitter Rahul wrote, "All my love and support to family and friends of Somen Mitra at this difficult time. We will remember him with love, fondness and respect".
Expressing her condolence, chief minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted, "Saddened to hear about the passing away of veteran leader, former MP and @INCWestBengal president Somen Mitra. My deepest condolences to his family, followers and well-wishers."
On his Twitter handle, governor Dhankhar wrote, "Saddened at the death of veteran Congress leader Somen Mitra. As constitutional head was enormously benefitted by his wise counsel on several occasions. Bengal will always recall his sagacious contributions in public life. Pray ALMIGHTY to bestow eternal on the departed soul."
Describing Mitra as a guardian in Bengal’s poitics, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh said, "His death is a irrepairable loss". Left Front chairman Biman Bose said Mitra's death will create a vacuum in the state’s politics.
(With inputs from ENS)