Sukumar Hansda was 66 and is survived by his wife, son and two daughters.Deputy Speaker of state Assembly, Sukumar Hansda, on Thursday died at a private hospital in Kolkata. Hansda, 66, was suffering from cancer.
The two-time Trinamool Congress MLA from Jhargram, Hansda was a minister in the first-term of the Mamata Banerjee government in which he held the portfolio of Paschimanchal Unnayan Minister.
He was diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier this year and was undergoing treatment at state-run SSKM Hospital in Kolkata. He was shifted to a private hospital a few days ago.
“Deeply grieved to hear about the passing away of Deputy Speaker and Jhargram MLA Sukumar Hansda… His relentless service for people shall always be remembered. My condolences to his family and followers,” Banerjee tweeted.
The state government announced that flags at all government offices in the state will fly at half-mast on Thursday to mourn Hansda’s death.
A doctor by profession, Hansda became Deputy Speaker of the Assembly in December 2018 after the post fell vacant following the death of Haider Aziz Safwi. He was a prominent tribal face of the Trinamool Congress in Jhargram and West Midnapore districts.
After the Trinamool Congress came to power for the second time in 2016, Hansda was dropped from the cabinet. In the last organisational reshuffle, he was appointed state vice-president of the TMC. He is survived by his wife, son and two daughters.