West Bengal minister for transport and sports and senior CPI(M) leader Subhas Chakraborty died at a private hospital today.
The maverick CPI(M) leader whose health had deteroriated since yesterday breathed his last at 11.35 AM . He was 68 and is survived by his wife and a son. Close to party patriarch Jyoti Basu, Chakraborty never shied away from courting controversies. The outspoken leader came out in public in support of Somnath Chatterjee, ex-Lok Sabha speaker when he was ousted from the CPI(M) last year. Chakraborty was hospitalised on July 27 with pneumonitis and low blood platelet count. The minister was yesterday put on a ventilator.
The leader had been active even till July 23 when he chaired a meeting of transport operators ahead of an indefinite transport strike. Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Left Front chairman Biman Bose and other party leaders visited the ailing minister this morning. An emotional Bose later announced that the body would be taken to the CPI(M) offices at Barasat, Birati and Nagerbazar in North 24-Parganas district tomorrow.
The sports fraternity here today mourned the death of Chakraborty, whose biggest contribution to the state was the Yuba Bharati Krirangan, the largest stadium in the country. Indian Football Association vice-president Subrata Dutta said “His biggest contribution is the Yuba Bharati Krirangan, which ranks among the top five stadiums in the world, in terms of capacity.” He added, “It was because of him, Bengal football lovers could see so many international matches and stars.”
Bengal Olympic Association secretary Kamalesh Chatterjee said that the Indo-Bangla Games and State Games were his brainchild. Condolences flew in from industry as well, with Sanjiv Goenka, vice chairman of RPG Group, saying, “The unexpected and untimely loss of Subhas Chakraborty is a big blow to Bengal. In him, we have lost a warm-hearted top administrator always eager to help others.”