"West Bengal just suffered an unimaginable loss, which the state will as realise only much later," was how Nirmalya Chatterjee, a senior government official in Kolkata, reacted to the news of the demise of former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. His statement summed up what the doyen of the Left politics meant for his followers. Nirmalya was one of the first government recruits after Bhattacharjee assumed the state's premiership in 2000.
Even at the turn of the millennium, proper work timings or duty schedules for government staffers were unheard of. Bhattacharjee's decision to adhere strictly to the 10.15 am-5.
15 pm government office timings was a sign of his vision to bring about a change in the state of affairs in West Bengal. "He was a good administrator and a gentleman to work with," Nirmalya remembered. Inexorably, that was also a sign of discontent that would blow up among a larger spectrum of government workers and the state polity.
A thorough statesman, Bhattacharjee found it tough to push forward his ambitious initiatives and developmental projects through the chaotic political atmosphere. For most Bengalis, Bhattacharjee was "a sweet, simple gentleman; a culturally proficient and a knowledge bank". His magnanimity and simplicity were undisputed.
He was accepted by everyone as he gave space to all and listened to dissenting voices with due respect. Yet, he oversaw the dethroning of the CPM from the state as he failed to hold onto the forte for the third time..