Date:14/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/14/stories/2006091406521500.htm

National

Stay on and help, party tells Basu

Special Correspondent

He must advise CPI (M) till next congress

KOLKATA: The CPI (M) Polit Bureau has decided that veteran leader Jyoti Basu "should continue to play his role and help, assist and advice it till the next party congress." The decision came at the end of its two-day meeting here on Wednesday.

Mr. Basu had sought to be relieved of his responsibilities both in the Polit Bureau and the central committee for reasons of age and health. He raised the matter at the meeting.

"We will see what will be done at the next party congress [slated for 2008]," CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat told presspersons. "Mr. Basu had made the request to be relieved of his responsibilities in the Polit Bureau and the central committee keeping in mind his age and health at the meeting yesterday."

He said: "Today, we concluded that last year [at the 18th party congress] when we took the decision [of asking him to continue] we were aware of the fact that he would not be able to actively work in the manner he had in the past, but Mr. Basu was asked to continue nevertheless."

Mr. Basu suffered a fall at his residence on August 20 after which he was advised total rest for a few days. Mr. Basu, however, attended a meeting of the party's State secretariat here last week as well as that of the Polit Bureau.