Former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was admitted to Woodlands Hospital in Kolkata on Saturday with a lower respiratory tract infection and Type II respiratory failure. His medical team has started non-invasive ventilation, given him antibiotics, and provided other supportive care, according to a statement released by the hospital. Bhattacharjee's condition is currently said to be haemodynamically stable, and necessary investigations have been carried out, with results awaited, it said.
"Former Chief Minister of West Bengal Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, 79, was admitted to Woodlands Hospital on July 29, 2023 with lower respiratory tract infection and Type II respiratory failure," the hospital said in a press release.
"Bhattacharjee has been put on non-invasive ventilation, antibiotics, and other supportive management. Necessary investigations have been done and the reports are awaited. He is haemodynamically stable," it said.
Bhattacharya (79) was immediately placed on mechanical ventilator support at the private hospital's critical care unit after being rushed from his Palm Avenue home via a green corridor, according to a PTI report. Bhattacharya, who served as chief minister from 2000 to 2011, has long suffered from COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and other age-related ailments.
He took over as chief minister in November 2000, succeeding the nonagenarian leader Jyoti Basu, and remained in office until 2021, when the Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee ended the state's 34-year Left Front rule.
Bhattacharjee, as chief minister, was outspoken about the need for massive industrialization in the state. However, during his tenure, land acquisition issues backfired on his party and the Left Front.
Bhattacharya has been out of the public eye for several years due to health issues. He resigned from the CPI(M)'s politburo and central committee in 2015, and he left the state secretariat in 2018.