TMC MLA Samaresh Das dies after testing COVID-19 positive; Mamata Banerjee condoles death

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress MLA Samaresh Das, who had tested positive for COVID-19 recently, died at a hospital in West Bengal’s East Midnapore district on Monday, party sources said. He was 76. The three-time MLA from Egra assembly constituency in the district was admitted to the hospital a few days back after he had tested positive for coronavirus and developed complications of heart and kidney, party sources said. He died this morning, a senior party leader said. West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, in a message, condoled his death. She said his demise has left a void in the state politics. Das, a senior leader of the TMC in the district, was first elected as an MLA from Egra assembly constituency in 2009 during a by-election. He retained the seat during the 2011 and 2016 assembly polls. Das is the third notable politician from the state, who died after testing positive for COVID-19. Trinamool Congress MLA Tamonash Ghosh succumbed to the contagion in June. Senior CPI(M) leader and former MP Shyamal Chakraborty also died of the coronavirus infection earlier this month. TMC’s Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation councillor Subhash Bose succumbed to the infection this month. The administrator of the board of Panihati Municipality Swapan Ghosh died due to the disease last week at a private hospital.