Senior CPI leader Nanda Gopal Bhattacharya passes away

Senior CPI leader and former West Bengal minister Nanda Gopal Bhattacharya died at a private nursing home here early Sunday morning after suffering from prolonged illness, party sources said.

He was 77. The late minister is survived by his wife and a daughter.

Bhattacharya, who represented Dantan constituency in West Midnapore district from 1996 to 2011, was a minister in the cabinet of both Jyoti Basu and Buddhadev Bhattcharjee governments.

The former national secretary of the CPI and former secretary of the West Bengal state Council of the party did not contest the poll last year.

CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta told PTI that cremation of Bhattacharya's body would take place tomorrow.

His body would be kept at the CPI state headquarters here from 12 noon to 3pm tomorrow to allow party supporters pay their last respect.