Date:21/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/21/stories/2008032160241200.htm

National

Karat discusses party congress with Basu

Special Correspondent

KOLKATA: Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat on Thursday discussed the coming 19th party congress, at a meeting with veteran Marxist leader, Jyoti Basu, at the latter’s residence in Salt Lake here.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Biman Bose, secretary of the party’s state committee were present.

Mr. Basu has expressed his inability — on grounds of health — to attend the party congress scheduled to begin in Coimbatore on March 29. It will continue till April 3.

The question of whether or not the 93-year-old leader will be relieved of his responsibilities in the CPI(M) Polit Bureau because of his health – a desire he has expressed on more than one occasion – is expected to be taken up in the coming meet.

The 18th congress in 2005 had decided to ask Mr. Basu to continue in the Polit Bureau though the party leadership was aware that he would not be able to work as actively as he had in the past.

When the issue was taken up at a subsequent meeting of the Polit Bureau it was resolved that Mr. Basu continue to play his role in the party and help and advise it till the coming congress. “We will see what will be done at the next party congress”, Mr. Karat had said then.

The Coimbatore congress is being held in the backdrop of the party’s opposition to the nuclear deal between India and the U.S. and the escalation in prices of essential commodities for which the CPI(M) has blamed the United Progressive Alliance government.

It also comes at a time when the CPI(M) leadership is looking at a third alternative in national politics.