BARDHAN AB

Ardhendu Bhushan Bardhan (25 September 1924 – 2 January 2016) or A. B. Bardhan, was the former General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI), one of the oldest political parties in India.

Bardhan was born in Barisal, (now Bangladesh) on 25 September, 1924. He embraced Communism at the age of 15 after he moved to Nagpur. He joined the All India Students Federation (AISF) at the Nagpur University in 1940. He joined the Communist Party of India (CPI) (which was then banned), the same year. He served as the President of the Nagpur University Students' Union. Bardhan held a postgraduate degree in economics and a degree in law.

Bardhan worked with workers ranging from various sectors like textile, electricity, railways, defence etc. He contested several elections from Nagpur   but was elected only once to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in 1957 as an independent candidate.

          Bardhan entered national politics and moved to Delhi. He became the General Secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) in 1994 and became the Deputy General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI)  in 1995.

When Indrajit Guptha joined the United Front government as the Home Minister Bardhan succeeded him as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India following Gupta's resignation from the post of party's General Secretary. Bardhan served as the party's General Secretary from 1996 to 2002.

Bardhan played a key role in the formation of the United Progressive Alliance government which was supported by the Communist Party of India. 

Bardhan suffered a paralytic stroke  in December 2015. He was admitted to the hospital. He died on 2, January 2016 at a the  Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital in New Delhi

Red salute