VP Singh talks politics and Singur with Basu

Kolkata, Dec 15 (UNI) Former Prime Minister V P Singh met veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu here today and discussed the present political situation in the country.

''It was a private visit. But we discussed political and social issues,'' Mr Singh told reporters after half-an-hour meeting with Mr Basu at his Indira Bhavan residence at Salt Lake.

However, Mr Singh did not say whether the Singur issue figured in their discussions.

Earlier, in the day, the former Prime Minister met Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at the Writers Building to hear details on the Government's stand on setting up of Tatas' small car project on Singur's farm land and gather information on the compensation and rehabilitation packages being offered to the displaced farmers.

They also discussed issue and 'matters of larger perspective concerning the country'.

Mr Singh also visited Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee at her dharna Manch in the Esplanade area and requested her to withdraw her hunger strike that entered the eleventh day. However, Ms Banerjee turned down his request.

While coming out of a CPI(M) state Secretariat meeting in the morning, Mr Basu had told reporters that the Chief Minister and he himself would present the facts on Singur to Mr V P Singh when he would meet them separately.

The nonagenarian leader said the former Prime Minister was fed with 'incorrect information' on Singur by some quarters.

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