Sadhan Pande
West Benga Cabinet minister and veteran Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader, Sadhan Pande, has passed away at a hospital in Mumbai following prolonged illness. He was 71.
Taking to Twitter, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed anguish and condoled the demise of the senior leader.
"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," Banerjee tweeted.
In another message, Banerjee said that she has lost an elder and would miss his advice on various matters.
Pande was a five-time MLA from Burtola constituency in North Kolkata till 2011, when TMC came to power in the state, and was elected from Maniktala seat since then.
He was ailing for the past one year. Pande was retained as a cabinet minister after the the party returned to power for the third consecutive term last year but was not allocated any portfolio due to his ill health.
As per reports, he was suffering from kidney ailments, and he was shifted to Mumbai from state-run SSKM Hospital in Kolkata sometime back. He was in a critical condition in the last few days.
Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar also condoled Pande's death, tweeting, "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! Om Shanti Om."
Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, expressed his condolences.
"Saddened by the passing away of West Bengal Minister Shri Sadhan Pande ji. My thoughts are with his bereaved family, friends & followers. Prayers for the departed soul. Om Shanti," he said in a Twitter post.
