Former LS Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on ventilator support, but stable: Hospital

Eighty-nine-year-old Chatterjee, who is suffering from a kidney-related ailment, was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday.

Kolkata: Former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee, who was put on ventilator support in a Kolkata-based hospital following a heart attack, is said to be 'stable'. The statement came from an official of the private hospital on Monday.

"He is undergoing dialysis. In such cases, it happens at times that the heart stops giving support. Chatterjee suffered a mild heart attack this morning but was revived. He is in the ICCU. He is stable and responding to treatment but still on ventilation," the official said.

89-year-old Chatterjee is suffering from a kidney-related ailment. He was moved to the hospital on Tuesday.

A 12-member team of doctors has been keeping a constant watch on the veteran politician, the official added.

Last month, Chatterjee had suffered a haemorrhagic stroke.

"He has been under treatment for the past 40 days. Chatterjee was discharged from the hospital just for three days after his health showed signs of improvement. However, his condition deteriorated last Tuesday and he had to be hospitalised again," the official said.

Chatterjee is a 10-time Lok Sabha MP and was a central committee member of the CPI(M). He had stepped into the world of politics in 1968.

He served as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2009.

The veteran leader was expelled from the CPI(M) in 2008 for refusing to resign as the Speaker after his party withdrew support to the UPA-I government.

(With inputs from PTI)