West Bengal's senior politician and minister Subrata Mukherjee passes away

Kolkata, Nov 4: West Bengal minister Subrata Mukherjee passed away on Thursday after suffering a heart attack. He was aged 75.

Mukherjee, a veteran politician, and Panchayat Minister, was admitted to the SSKM Hospital with severe breathing problems on Sunday.

His condition had slightly improved on Tuesday although doctors had told that he was not out of danger. "We cannot say that he is still not out of danger, but we have removed his oxygen support this morning and put him on BPAP. He is under observation," a senior doctor at the hospital had said.

He was expected to discharge from the hospital on Friday, but he suffered a severe attack on Thursday.

A team of seven doctors was treating him at the state-run hospital. He had several ailments, including COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and diabetes, doctors had said.

He was also hospitalised in May with similar ailments, days after being imprisoned in the Narada scam case.

Mukherjee, who completed 50 years as an MLA after winning the Ballygunge seat in the assembly elections held in April-May, held cabinet portfolios in the TMC government since 2011. In the present government, he was the Panchayat Minister.

He served as the Mayor of Kolkata between 2000 and 2005.

With inputs from PTI