Jyoti Basu's condition extremely critical

KOLKATA: Jyoti Basu’s condition remained extremely critical throughout Saturday and doctors hinted that a multi-organ failure was imminent.

Numerous heavyweight CPIM stalwarts including party general secretary Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechuri arrived in the city on Saturday to call on the ailing CPIM patriarch who is slowly sinking.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who was also in town prayed for Basu’s recovery while addressing a function at St. Xavier’s College. He described Basu as the "great son of India." The Prime Minister had visited the hospital to inquire after Basu’s health on January 7.

Bollywood badshah Amitabh Bachchan also visited the AMRI hospital on Saturday to inquire about Basu’s health. Former West Bengal chief minister Siddhartha Shankar Roy also paid a visit to Basu on Saturday. This was his second visit to the ailing communist leader.

Key CPIM politburo members Karat, Yechuri and Brinda Karat have also paid a visit to the hospital on Saturday to inquire about Basu’s health. The CPIM leaders are here in Kolkata to attend a series of party meetings with state party leaders and key party functionaries from all the districts.

These politburo members were supposed to address party workshops to educate the state party leaders on various key political issues. All of them have visited the hospital where Basu is undergoing treatment. These leaders will be here in the city on Sunday too.