Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, Former West Bengal Chief Minister, Admitted To Hospital, Critical

Former West Bengal chief minister and CPIM leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, who has been suffering from prolonged illnes, on Friday admitted to Woodlands Multispeciality Hospital Limited in Kolkata. Bhattacharya was rushed to the ICCU of the private hospital in West Bengal capital following complaints of breathlessness, irregular blood pressure and other age-related ailments.

"Former Chief Minister of West Bengal, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, has been admitted to Woodlands Multispeciality Hospital Limited, in Kolkata," the news agency ANI reported.

Former Chief Minister of West Bengal, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, has been admitted to Woodlands Multispeciality Hospital Limited, in Kolkata. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/jOhuDYwjVZ

— ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2019

READ | Congress, CPI(M) share seats for West Bengal bypolls

According to reports, he has also been facing difficulties due to poor eyesight from the last several days and was kept in a dim lit room at his Palm Avenue residence in Kolkata. Known to be a chain-smoker, Bhattacharya has, time and again, suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and was advised not to move out of his house.

Soon after the reports of Bhattacharya admitted to the Alipore Hospital started coming in, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hurried to the hospital to check his condition. Currently, Meera Bhattacharya, wife of the senior CPIM leader, is present at the hospital.

Recently, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar also paid visit to Bhattacharya's Kolkata residence amid reports of his ill health. The 75-year-old veteran politician was the last Left chief minister of West Bengal.

READ | Sonia Gandhi gives nod to Left-Congress alliance in West Bengal

Bhattacharya, one of the longest-serving chief ministers of West Bengal, in 2000, replaced Jyoti Basu after the latter's 23-year rule. In the 2011 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) gained a majority of seats, ending the 34-year-long rule of the Left front in the state.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Buddhadeb Bhattacharya has been long suffering from multiple ailments.
• Today, Mamata Banerjee rushed to the Alipore hospital to enquire about his health.
• Bhattacharya served as the Bengal chief minister between 2000 and 2011.