Calcutta, March 3: Forward Bloc state secretary Ashok Ghosh passed away this morning at a private hospital in Calcutta following age-related complications. He was 93.

Ghosh had been the Bloc state secretary for 65 years since 1951. Born on July 2, 1923, in Hooghly district, Ghosh joined the non-cooperation movement in Bihar's Ramgarh in 1930 on the call of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and also participated in the Quit India movement.

He joined the Forward Bloc in 1946.

Mamata Banerjee tweeted after his death: "Saddened on the passing away of the veteran politician Asok Ghosh. Condolences to his family and friends."

A meeting on seat-sharing for the Assembly polls was called off at Alimuddin Street after news of Ghosh's death reached the CPM headquarters.