<span style="color: #222222;">Senior communist leader Basudeb Acharia died today at the age of 81 in Hyderabad. Acharia was suffering from old-age-related illnesses and was admitted to a private hospital.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The CPI (M) leader was elected to the Lok Sabha nine times from 1980 to 2009 from Purulia in West Bengal. In 2014, he was defeated by Trinamool Congress candidate Munmun Sen in the Bankura constituency. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has condoled the demise of the veteran leader and called him a leader of "formidable strength".</span><br />