Kolkata: West Bengal Congress president Somen Mitra died during the wee hours of today due to age-related ailments at a hospital here. He was 78.
Hospital officials said he died due to heart and age-related ailments. “He was admitted to the hospital a few days back after his creatinine level was found to be high during a routine check-up. He was a patient of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and also had other age-related ailments,” a senior official of the hospital said.
A stalwart in Bengal politics, Mitra’s political career began during the tumultuous ’60s as a student leader and spanned over five decades. Mitra was first elected to the Bengal Assembly in 1972 as Congress MLA from the Sealdah Assembly Constituency. He was re-elected to the state Assembly in 1977 as Janata Party member.
Leaders and politicians from West Bengal and across the country also expressed sadness over Mitra’s demise.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today condoled the passing away of Somen Mitra and said that he will be remembered with love, fondness and respect. Rahul tweeted that his love and support is with Mitra’s family and friends amid such time of difficulty.
“All my love and support to family and friends of Somen Mitra at this difficult time. We will remember him with love, fondness and respect,” he said.