It was a daily routine of former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to visit the State headquarters of the Communist Party of India-Marxist in the afternoon. But things have changed in the last couple of years with his deteriorating health and fading eyesight. The veteran CPI(M) leader has remained confined to his small apartment on Palm Avenue for the last six months due to health issues.
“Since he suffers from acute chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, doctors have advised him to not to walk and talk too much. So he doesn’t go out of his home and has not been at the party office in the last six months,” said senior CPI(M) leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya.
Party leaders close to Mr. Bhattacharjee, known to be an avid reader, revealed that his reading habit has also been hampered. Since he suffers from dry eyes, he cannot bear much light and always keeps the light in his room very dim, said senior CPI(M) leader Rabin Deb, known to be close to the former Chief Minister.
Sources close to Mr. Bhattacharjee also revealed that his left eye has been “damaged” for a long time and his right eye has also developed problems over the last few months.
Financial help
However, the CPI(M) leadership denied reports that Mr. Bhattacharjee has turned down financial help from the party for treatment and said that his medical expenditure is being borne by the party.
“We are in regular contact with Mr. Bhattacharjee and his medical expenditure is being borne by the party,” said Mr. Deb. In October last year Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had called on Mr. Bhattacharjee to inquire about his health.
Mr. Bhattacharjee stepped down from the CPI(M) State committee in March due to health issues despite being urged by senior party leaders to continue as a committee member. He had also stepped down from the party’s Central Committee and Polit Bureau earlier.