Senior CPI(M) leader and a prominent face of the Left trade union movement Shyamal Chakraborty died at a city hospital on Thursday. He was infected with COVID-19 and was admitted to the hospital on July 30. Hospital authorities said he was suffering from pneumonia and other co-morbidities. He was 77.
Mr. Chakraborty was State president of the CITU, labour wing of the CPI(M) and member of the central committee of the party.
“He joined the undivided Communist Party in 1960. He was elected to the Assembly for the first time in 1981 and later on for three more terms. He served as Minister for Transport for nine years,” a statement from the Polit Bureau said expressing condolences.
Mr. Chakraborty was elected to the party State committee in 1978 and the central committee in 2002. He was also elected to the Rajya Sabha for a term. During his tenure as the president of the State CITU, he strengthened and organised the labour movement. A section of the party believes that he gave direction to several nation-wide trade union movements particularly in the power and transport sectors.
Only a few weeks ago, he participated in the joint protest organised by the Left parties and the Congress against the irregularities in cyclone Amphan relief. Several leaders of the Left parties including CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and State secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra expressed condolences.
An astounding fighter
“Saddened to hear the death of a friend and comrade Shyamal Chakraborty. He was an astounding fighter for the rights of the working class and was a very able parliamentarian. He served four terms as MLA in WB Assembly and once in Rajya Sabha. Condolences to his daughter, Ushasie,” Mr. Yechury said on social media.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described his death as a major loss to the politics of Bengal. The body could not be taken to the party office because of the protocol for disposal of COVID-19 patients.