IndiaNewsPolitics

SOMEN Mitra, veteran Congress leader, passes away. Mamata Banerjee, Rahul Gandhi convey condolences to the bereaved family

Rahul Gandhi condoles Bengal Congress president Somen Mitra's demise

SOMENDRA Nath Mitra, popularly known as SOMEN Mitra, West Bengal  Pradesh Congress  Committee president, passed away at a Kolkata hospital on Thursday, 30 July 2020. He was 78. Mitra was hospitalised following heart and age-related ailments. He was a member of the 15th Lok Sabha, elected from the Diamond Harbour constituency as a Trinamool Congress candidate. He was a member of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly from Sealdah in Kolkata mega city from 1972–2006 and had worked with incumbent Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the Congress. Later, their relations worsened.  During Mitra’s second term as Congress president in late ‘90s, the Congress lost its status as the principal opposition to  the Trinamool Congress (TMC) founded by Mamata Banerjee, Mukul Roy and others. Born on December 31, 1941 in Jessore district of erstwhile East Bengal , Mitra, popularly called Chhorda by his followers,  debuted successfully in electoral politics in 1972 when he became the youngest MLA in the West Bengal Assembly from Sealdah at the age of 26. Mitra continued to win the Sealdah assembly segment barring in 1977 during Marxist regime for six consecutive terms from 1982-2006. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee and others have sent heart-felt condolences to his bereaving wife  Sikha Mitra. He emerged in Bangal politics as a student leader in 1967, when Bengal had its first non-Congress government. Mitra proved his mettle by his organisational and oratory skills and became one of the most popular  Congress leaders along  with late union minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi and Subroto Mukherjee. While Dasmunsi later opted for national politics, Mitra and Mukherjee remained mostly involved in Bengal politics. Rahul Gandhi on Twitter says his love and support is with family and friends of Mitra in such difficult times. ‘’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.” Gandhi added. edited by @chakravartypk

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.