The Wire Staff 
Kolkata: Former Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has passed away. He was 80.
His son Suchetan Bhattacharjee confirmed his death to Bengali local media early on August 8.
Bhattacharjee had been the last chief minister of the 34-year Left Front rule in Bengal. His 11-year tenure was marked by efforts at industrialisation and a cultural upheaval.
Bhattacharjee had long since been suffering from lung diseases and had been largely homebound in the last few years.
In 2022, Bhattacharjee turned down the Padma Bhushan award offered by the Narendra Modi government.