CPI(M) rejects Jyoti Basu's offer to step down

Kolkata, Sep 13 (UNI) The CPI(M) today summarily rejected veteran leader Jyoti Basu's request to step down from the Politbureau stating that the party still needed his advice.

As the two day Politbureau meeting concluded deliberating on several issues, the nonagerian leader pleaded that he should be relieved of responsibilities because of failing heath. But the Politbureau was unanimous not to let him go .

" At the fag end of two days meeting Mr Basu raised the issue asking what they had thought about him. But all the 14 members were unanimous that they could not let him go as he was indispensable for the party and it needed his advice," Politbureau member M K Pandhe told reporters.

This was the second time after the CPI(M) Congress in Delhi last year that the party denied Mr Basu an oppourtunity to retire.

The possibility of the CPI(M) patriarch would retire from active politics was in the air for the past few days after he admitted to the media that he needed rest.

Declining to attach importance to the issue, state committee Secretary Biman Basu Biman Basu said the nonagenarian leader had been talking about being relieved from responsibilities for the past one year, but the party had not accepted it. '' Even if Jyoti Babu makes a request, we will say no to him,'' he had said two days ago.

UNI KDG KK/SRC1523