Veteran CPM leader Nirupam Sen passes away

Former industry and commerce minister of West Bengal Nirupam Sen passed away on the early hours of Monday.

Sen breathed his last at a private hospital in Salt Lake on the eastern fringes of Kolkata at around 5.10 am. He was 72. Sen is survived by wife, son and a daughter.

"Mr Nirupam Sen passed away at AMRI Hospital-Salt Lake on 24.12.2018 at around 5:10 am after prolonged illness, suffering from pneumonia, leading to septic shock, causing multi-organ failure in a background of diabetes, hypertension, cerebral stroke and chronic kidney disease on maintenance haemodialysis," said a statement issued by AMRI hospital where Sen was admitted.

Sen a former Polit Bureau member of CPM was the state's industries minister in the erstwhile Left Front government from 2001 to 2011. He suffered from a heart attack. Since then his health condition was fragile.

Sen started his stint in politics as a student activist. After joining CPM in 1964 he gained prominence in peasant agitations in the then Bardhaman district (currently bifurcated in East and West Bardhaman district).

"Nirupam Sen was elected to the West Bengal state committee in 1985 and he became a member of the state secretariat in 1995. He was elected to the Central Committee at the 16th Congress in 1998. He became a member of the Polit Bureau in 2008," said a statement issued by the Polit Bureau which condoled his demise.

Sen, a three-time MLA became the Industry and Commerce Minister in the erstwhile Left Front government for two terms.

" Saddened by the passing away of Nirupam Sen, former Minister of West Bengal. Condolences to his family and well wishers," tweeted Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

CPM sources said that Sen's body will be taken to his residence in Salt Lake later on Monday and from there it will be taken to a city mortuary on Tuesday. The body will be kept there for final homage.

Sen's body will be taken to the CPM and CITU office on Wednesday and from there to his ancestral home in Bardhaman town in East Bardhaman district where his funeral rights will be held.