Jyoti Basu again wishes to quit the party's politburo
Veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu seems to have made up his mind. On Friday, he reiterated his wish to quit the party’s politburo in the light of his failing health.
By TNN |
KOLKATA: Veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu seems to have made up his mind. On Friday, he reiterated his wish to quit the party���s politburo in the light of his failing health. The 94-year-old CPM patriarch, who became a politburo member in 1964, told reporters at the CPM state headquarters, ���I don���t wish to continue and have communicated this to the party leadership. I have written to party general secretary Prakash Karat, expressing my desire to quit from the politburo due to my ill health.���
Mr Basu also added that it would not be possible for him to attend the party congress, scheduled to be held in Coimbatore next month and also the politburo meetings, slated to be held in Delhi on February 25 and 26.
He pointed out that the ultimate decision, as to whether he would remain in the politburo or not, would be taken by Mr Karat and other senior colleagues of the CPM. ���In our party, an individual cannot take any decisions, it is the party which has the final word,��� Mr Basu said.
The former West Bengal chief minister had earlier expressed his desire to quit the politburo, but was persuaded to stay on for some more time. Party insiders are of the opinion that party stalwarts like Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechury were likely to persuade Mr Basu to continue in office, at least till the general elections in 2009.
Mr Basu, has been a critical component for his party, especially in ironing out of differences between CPM and the minor constituents of the Left Front. He had also played a significant role during negotiations between Left parties and the Congress on the Indo-US nuclear deal.
Commenting on the upcoming Budget, Mr Basu expressed hope that the Centre would take into account the common minimum programme of the UPA combine and serve the interests of farmers. On the agitation in Darjeeling hills, Mr Basu said the caretaker administrator of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, Subhas Ghising had become weak and his own partymen had gone against him.
He said Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was closely monitoring the situation and is in touch with Delhi so that the bill on Sixth Schedule could be passed in the Parliament. He also expressed confidence that the CPM-led Left Front would win the Tripura assembly polls scheduled on Saturday.
Mr Basu also added that it would not be possible for him to attend the party congress, scheduled to be held in Coimbatore next month and also the politburo meetings, slated to be held in Delhi on February 25 and 26.
He pointed out that the ultimate decision, as to whether he would remain in the politburo or not, would be taken by Mr Karat and other senior colleagues of the CPM. ���In our party, an individual cannot take any decisions, it is the party which has the final word,��� Mr Basu said.
The former West Bengal chief minister had earlier expressed his desire to quit the politburo, but was persuaded to stay on for some more time. Party insiders are of the opinion that party stalwarts like Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechury were likely to persuade Mr Basu to continue in office, at least till the general elections in 2009.
Mr Basu, has been a critical component for his party, especially in ironing out of differences between CPM and the minor constituents of the Left Front. He had also played a significant role during negotiations between Left parties and the Congress on the Indo-US nuclear deal.
Commenting on the upcoming Budget, Mr Basu expressed hope that the Centre would take into account the common minimum programme of the UPA combine and serve the interests of farmers. On the agitation in Darjeeling hills, Mr Basu said the caretaker administrator of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, Subhas Ghising had become weak and his own partymen had gone against him.
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He said Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was closely monitoring the situation and is in touch with Delhi so that the bill on Sixth Schedule could be passed in the Parliament. He also expressed confidence that the CPM-led Left Front would win the Tripura assembly polls scheduled on Saturday.
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