By IANS,
Kolkata : West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi Tuesday greeted Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) patriarch and former chief minister Jyoti Basu, ahead of his 96th birthday Wednesday.
“It’s been a pleasure and privilege to greet a leader like Jyoti Basu. It’s a great honour for me as I could greet Basu for the fifth time,” Gandhi told reporters after emerging from the the CPI-M veteran’s Salt Lake residence.
According to informed sources, the governor wished Basu good health and prayed for his quick recovery.
“He is a man of wisdom and I pray that he gets well soon,” said Gandhi.
Born on July 8, 1914, in Kolkata to a wealthy family, Basu took to communism in London. On his return to India, he joined the Communist Party of India (CPI) and took active part in the party’s trade union movement.
Basu made his debut in electoral politics in 1946. He was elected to the state assembly 11 times, losing only once in 1972. After the CPI split in 1964, he joined the CPI-M and was elected to its central committee and politburo.
Basu was West Bengal chief minister from 1977 till he retired in late 2000 due to ill-health.