TMC minister dies after prolong illness

Kolkata: Senior West Bengal minister and Trinamul Congress leader Sadhan Pande, suffering from various ailments for nearly a year, died at a private hospital in Mumbai on Sunday morning. He was 71 and is survived by his daughter Shreya.

Shreya said the condition of his father, who was admitted at Kokilaben Hospital with lung infection in September last year, deteriorated from February 11. Pande breathed his last at 10.35 am. The body is being brought to Kolkata for last rites with full state honours.

Pande, who started his political career in the 1970s as a follower of late union minister Ajit Panja of the Congress, was an eight-time MLA from North Kolkata area at a stretch. During the Communist rule, he won five times from Burtola assembly constituency till 2011 since his first victory on a Congress ticket in a by-poll in 1985.

Pande later won from Manicktala assembly constituency thrice since the TMC came to power and became state consumer affairs minister every time despite speaking against the internal feud of the party. In 2021, he was made self help group and self employment minister. The portfolio later went to the then panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee after Mr Pande fell ill in July.

Mourning her cabinet colleague's demise, chief minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted, "Our senior colleague, party leader and Cabinet Minister Sadhan Pande has passed away today morning at Mumbai. Had a wonderful relation for long. Deeply pained at this loss. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, followers."

Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar tweeted, "Sad news- Deeply pained at passing away of Senior Cabinet Minister Sadhan Pande today morning at Mumbai. Shared wonderful relationship and personal rapport with him beyond politics. Heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and followers. RIP!"