Ex- Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee passes away

Former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee died on Monday early morning. He passed away in a private hospital in Kolkata at 8.15 AM. He was 89 years old and was suffering from cardiac ailment. 

Born in Tejpur, Assam, Somnath Chatterjee studied law in UK and later joined CPI(M) after coming back to India. From 1971 to 2009, he was a Lok Sabha MP, except 1984-89, when he was defeated by Mamata Banerjee from Jadavpur. Eighty-nine-year-old Chatterjee, who was suffering from a kidney-related ailment, was admitted to the hospital last week. A 12-member team of doctors was keeping a constant watch on the veteran politician

A 10-time Lok Sabha MP, Chatterjee was a central committee member of the CPI(M), which he had joined in 1968. He was the Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2009. The veteran leader was expelled from the CPI(M) in 2008 for refusing to resign as the Speaker after his party withdrew support to the UPA-I government. 

PM Narendra Modi, President Ramnath Kovind, Congress President Rahul Gandhi, former President Pranab Mukherjee and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and several others tweeted to pay their respects. 

He was undergoing dialysis and had suffered a mild heart attack on Sunday morning. He finally passed away on Monday despite all efforts of doctors. Even after retiring from active politics, Somnath Chatterjee continued to weigh in on crucial political developments. His passing away is truly end of an era in Indian and Bengal politics. 

With PTI inputs