Veteran leader of CPI-M, Shyamal Chakraborty, dies due to Covid-19

Shyamal Chakraborty. (Photo: Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS)


Veteran leader of Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Shyamal Chakraborty, passed away at a private hospital in Kolkata on Thursday. Chakraborty was admitted to hospital on July 29 after testing positive for Covid.

As per the reports, he was suffering from respiratory problems and was put on a ventilator. His condition deteriorated on Sunday night and immediately he was put on life support.

Initially, Shyamal Chakraborty was admitted to a private hospital at Ultadanga but later shifted to a private hospital near EM Bypass.

His condition improved slightly but again deteriorated and he stopped responding to the medical treatment.

“We are feeling really bad at his demise. He was a people’s leader from the CPI-M. Throughout his life he represented the working class. He was an honest politician. We had different political ideologies but that never impacted our personal equations. He was always very cordial with his opposition party colleagues,” said Trinamool Congress’ secretary general and West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee, conveying his deepest condolences to the deceased’s family.

“It is a great loss to West Bengal politics. He was an excellent orator. I have known him from his students’ politics days when he used to be the state secretary of CPI-M’s students’ arm Students Federation of India (SFI). I am deeply saddened at his death,” said Senior Congress leader Abdul Mannan.

“It is an irreparable loss for us. We tried everything but failed to save Shyamal (Chakraborty) da,” said senior CPI-M leader Sujan Chakraborty.