AGARTALA: A prominent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and legislator from Tripura, Surajit Datta, breathed his last on the night of December 27 in a Kolkata hospital after battling a prolonged illness.
The 71-year-old, fondly known as “Sunu Da”, had been undergoing treatment in Agartala before being shifted to the private facility in Kolkata.
Datta, a stalwart in Tripura politics, represented the Ramnagar constituency and played a pivotal role in the political landscape.
Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha expressed deep condolences, marking the loss as irreplaceable in the state’s political arena.
“Saddened & pained by the demise of senior politician & sitting MLA of Bharatiya Janata Party Shri Surajit Datta (Sunu Daa) during treatment in a hospital outside the State. His demise is an irreparable loss in the State’s political arena. May the departed soul find eternal peace! My deepest sympathy to the bereaved family. Om Shanti. As a mark of respect, the Govt of Tripura announced one-day State Mourning on Thursday,” Chief Minister Saha wrote on social media.
Datta’s political journey was extensive, having served as a cabinet minister in the Congress-led coalition government from 1988 to 1993.
He consistently represented the Ramnagar constituency since 1988 on a Congress ticket, with a brief interruption in 2013 when he lost to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate.
Notably, he joined the BJP ahead of the 2018 polls and secured victory from the constituency twice under the party banner.
As the news of Sunu Da’s demise reverberates through political circles, the state observes a day of mourning to pay homage to the seasoned politician who left an indelible mark on Tripura’s political landscape.
