Yechury waxes eloquent about Basu for 'noble admission'

Kolkata, Apr 14 (UNI) Claiming that no insinuation was made against party patriarch Jyoti Basu for his open advocacy for elevation of Subhash Chakraborty in the party hierarchy, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury today eulogised the veteran leader for his 'noble admission' to the mistake he committed.

'' Mr Basu himself realised the mistake and criticised himself.

It is a noble thing to happen. He has this rare quality which our generation has to learn, '' he told reporters after visiting Mr Basu at his residence in Salt Lake.

A section of the press quoted Mr Yechury today as having said the party hoped Mr Basu would not repeat the mistake he committed by airing his voice in support of Mr Chakraborty in public.

'' Whatever has been published is absolutely baseless. I have never said this, '' he said.

Mr Yechury's comment came four days after Mr Basu publicly said that he wanted Transport Minister Subhash Chakraborty, his protege, in the Central Committee as well as the state Secretariat.

A berth either in the Central Committee or in the state secretariat continued eluding Mr Chakraborty, the controversial CPI(M) maverick, who is considered the political 'guru' of several party stalwarts, including Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.

While the recently held CPI(M) party Congress ignored Mr Chakraborty for a place in the Central Committee, Mr Basu's comment was viewed as significant.

However, the 94-year-old leader stunned the rank and file the next day with an unprecedented admission, saying he had violated party discipline by calling for induction of Mr Chakraborty.

'' Whatever I have said about Subhash is against party discipline. This tantamounts to breaking party discipline and I have made that mistake. I should not have done it, '' the 94-year-old veteran leader told reporters before the state secretariat meeting here on Friday last.

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