New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday expressed grief over the demise of veteran Bengali actor and former Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Paul.

Calling him a “superstar of Bengali cinema”, the Chief Minister said: “Saddened and shocked to hear about the demise of Tapas Paul. He was a superstar of Bengali cinema who was a member of the Trinamool family. Tapas served the people as a two-term MP and MLA. We will miss him dearly. My condolences to his wife Nandini, daughter Sohini and his many fans.”

Saddened & shocked to hear about the demise of Tapas Paul. He was a superstar of Bengali cinema who was a member of the Trinamool family.Tapas served the people as a two-term MP and MLA. We will miss him dearly. My condolences to his wife Nandini, daughter Sohini & his many fans

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) February 18, 2020

The 61-year-old actor-turned-politician died of cardiac arrest early Tuesday in a private hospital in Mumbai. (ANI)