8-time MLA, veteran TMC leader Sadhan Pande passes away

Kolkata: Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and cabinet minister Sadhan Pande died at a private hospital in Mumbai on Sunday morning at the age of 71 after a prolonged illness. He was the consumer affairs minister of Bengal since 2011 but he was made a minister without portfolio after being admitted to the hospital with serious ailments. The state government has announced the closure of all the offices and institutions under its fold after 2 pm on Monday to pay homage to Pande.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her condolences and said in her twitter handle: "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." Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar also tweeted to express his condolences.

National vice-president of Trinamool Congress, Partha Chatterjee on Sunday said that the Chief Minister has spoken to the family members of Pande and expressed her condolences. His body will be flown to the city on Sunday night. Senior party leaders and also the ministers —Dr Sashi Panja and Sujit Bose will receive the body at Calcutta airport.

At about about 8:30 am, on Monday, his mortal remains will be taken to his Kakurgachi resident then from there it will be taken to his Goabagan house for people to pay their last respect. His body will be kept at the state Assembly in the afternoon where the MLAs will pay their last respect. The last rites will be performed at Nimtala crematorium later in the day. The party flag of Trinamool Congress was flown at half mast to show respect to the veteran leader.

Pandey had been suffering from lung infection and other complications for more than two years. He also had kidney-related ailments and used to undergo dialysis. Pande was elected eight times in a row as an MLA. He had won five times from the Burtolla Assembly seat as an MLA since 1987. He won from Burtolla in 1991, 1996, 2001, and 2006 apart from 1987. He won from Maniktala in 2011, 2016 and 2021. He had therefore won as MLA eight times in a row. He had once contested the LS polls from Kolkata northeast parliamentary seat in 1998 as a Congress candidate but he was defeated. He was vocal in the Assembly during the Left Front regime and was well known as an orator. He joined the TMC after its formation in 1998. He was one of the few leaders who joined Trinamool in the beginning after it was formed by the party supremo Mamata Banerjee.

Bengal bagged several national awards under his leadership as Consumer affairs minister. He had also headed self-help groups and self-employment departments as well. He is survived by his wife Supti and daughter Shreya. Pande had been under treatment at a private hospital in the city and later he was shifted to Mumbai.