Kolkata, Apr 11 (UNI) Abdur Razzak Molla, a prominent political figure in West Bengal and a long-serving Minister for Land and Land Reforms in the erstwhile Left Front government, died at his residence in South 24 Parganas following old age complications on Friday morning.

Molla, 80, a ten-time MLA, was a prominent member of the cabinet of three chief ministers - Jyoti Basu, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Mamata Banerjee - and left behind a rich legacy of service and dedication to the cause of agrarian rights and peasant welfare.
He had a long association with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and joined Banerjee's Trinamool Congress in the twilight of his political career.
Expressing shock at Molla's demise, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee posted on her X handle, “I am deeply saddened and shocked by the passing of my colleague, Abdur Razzak Molla. He was my fellow minister in the state cabinet. I had great respect and admiration for him.”

“His knowledge and experience in rural life of Bengal, agricultural economy, and land reforms were widely known. That is why, despite having once followed a different political ideology, it was natural and seamless for him to become a part of the government of Maa, Maati, Manush (Mother, Land, People),” she wrote.

“His passing has created an irreplaceable void in the political landscape of Bengal,” she added.

Born into a humble farming family as the son of Karim Bukhs Molla, a paddy and vegetable cultivator, Molla’s early life was deeply rooted in the soil of rural Bengal. His upbringing amidst agrarian struggles shaped his worldview and inspired his lifelong commitment to land rights.

He was drawn to the Communist movement during his college years and began his political journey through activism on the peasant front, advocating land redistribution and rural empowerment.

Molla’s political career gained momentum when he was elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly from the Bhangar constituency in 1972 on a CPI-M ticket. In 1977, Molla won from Canning Purba — a seat he represented in the Assembly for an impressive 39 years, until 2016.
His tenure as Minister for Land and Land Reforms under the Left Front government was marked by efforts to implement progressive land policies that aimed to uplift the marginal farmers and secure land rights for the rural poor.
In spite of being the departmental minister, Molla was a stubborn critic of Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's land acquisition policy for industrial projects, and never shied away from airing his views in the public domain.

A resilient figure in the volatile landscape of West Bengal politics, Molla was among the few ministers who managed to retain their seat in the 2011 elections, even as the Left Front suffered a humiliating defeat.

However, his later years were marked by political realignments and controversy. In February 2014, he was expelled from the CPI(M) for alleged anti-party activities.

Undeterred by his expulsion, he went on to establish the Bharatiya Nyay Bichar Party (BNP) later that year. However, in February 2016, Molla joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC), marking a new chapter in his political journey.
He was nominated as the TMC candidate for the Bhangar constituency—located adjacent to his long-held Canning Purba seat—for the 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections. He won the election and was subsequently appointed as the Minister for Food Processing in the Mamata Banerjee-led government.

The TMC, however, denied him ticket because of his failing health in 2021.
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