Veteran Communist Party of India leader Gurudas Dasgupta died in Kolkata on Thursday. He was 83 years old, PTI reported. Dasgupta had lung cancer.

“He [Dasgupta] passed away at his home in Kolkata at 6am,” West Bengal CPI Secretary Swapan Banerjee said. “He was suffering from lung cancer for quite some time. Due to his poor health, he had relinquished party posts but was a member of CPI national executive council.”

Dasgupta, a well-known Left leader, became an MP for the first time after being elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1985. The politician was elected to the 14th Lok Sabha in 2004 from the Panskura seat in West Bengal, and again in 2009 from the Ghatal constituency in the state.

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He was closely associated with the trade union movement, and was elected as the All India Trade Union Congress general secretary in 2001, according to Hindustan Times. In 2004, Dasgupta was elected to the National Secretariat of the CPI.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee offered her condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues after the announcement. “Saddened at the passing away of CPI leader Gurudas Dasguptaji,” she said in a statement, according to The Indian Express. “He will be remembered for his contribution to the nation as a parliamentarian and trade union leader.”

“We mourn the demise of Comrade Gurudas Dasgupta, veteran leader of the Communist Party of India and renowned parliamentarian,” CPI(M) West Bengal tweeted. “His contributions to the Left and [the] working class movement will inspire the young generation.”

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also grieved Dasgupta’s demise. “Passing away of veteran leader and trade unionist Gurudas Dasgupta is a big loss for the nation,” he tweeted. “He will always be remembered for his brilliant parliamentary track record and probity in public life.”

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