Calcutta, Nov. 2: Hashim Abdul Halim's usual response over phone would be: "Tell me, what do you want to know?" He would then go on to explain the nitty-gritty of legislative practice to every journalist who called him, even during late hours.

Halim, the longest serving Speaker in the country with an uninterrupted tenure of 29 years, passed away this morning following a heart attack. He was 80.

Trinamul leaders, who had long arguments with him in the House while they were in the Opposition, today recounted instances of his courteousness.

Education minister Partha Chatterjee said that when he had spoken to Halim on Vijaya Dashami, "he told me, 'why are you wishing me over phone? You better come to my place and have sweets with me'".

Chatterjee added: "When I told him it would be difficult for me to climb up the stairs to his third-floor house, Halim saheb laughed and said, 'don't worry, these days I stay on the ground floor'."

Halim, who became the Speaker in 1982 and stayed till the Left lost power in 2011, was often accused by Opposition leaders of following Alimuddin Street's instructions.

Panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee, who was suspended by Halim from the Assembly along with 30-odd MLAs in the 1980s and later thrown out of the House physically by the guards, recounted how the former Speaker pacified them when then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi called him and chief minister Jyoti Basu.

"Halim saheb pacified us and later withdrew the suspension. He told us that as custodian of the House, it was his responsibility to be fair to the Opposition,'' said Mukherjee, then with the Congress.

A stickler for rules and always in white kurta-pyjama, Halim would visit the Assembly even if the House was not in session. He would stay in his office till late afternoon and then head home, but after having after samosas or fish fry.

When the longest serving Speaker completed his tenure on March 25, 2011, he bid farewell to the "saddest job". "As Speaker, the saddest job I have had to do in the past 29 years is perhaps reading out condolence resolutions in the House."

CPM leaders too recounted their days with Halim. "Halim saheb was good at organising people. He also showed tremendous skill in running the House during disruptions," Left Front chairman Biman Bose said.