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Jyoti Basu to step down, not contest assembly poll

Zakia Maryam in Calcutta

The Communist Party of India-Marxist state secretary and the Politburo member Anil Biswas tonight announced that Chief Minister Jyoti Basu would not contest the assembly elections next year.

Talking to rediff.com, Biswas said it was decided that Basu would be relieved of the chief minister's post because of his deteriorating health.

"Mr Basu is already 86 and his health is getting worse everyday. Time and again he's been requesting the party leadership to relieve him of his administrative responsibilities. The party mandarins refused to accept the demand earlier due to certain compulsions. But now we feel it is time we allowed him call it a day. He will, however, continue to hold the CM's office till the 2001 elections," Biswas said.

Asked whether the decision had the politburo's approval, Biswas said that there was no need to seek the nod of the party's highest decision-making body.

"Everybody has to retire at one point or other. Despite his decision not to contest the 2001 assembly elections, Mr Basu will continue to guide us in running the government and the party," Biswas said.

Basu, when contacted, corroborated Biswas's version, saying he was indeed relinquishing the chief minister's post before next year's assembly elections. "I'm happy that the leadership has finally agreed to relieve me from the administrative hassles. But it should not be misunderstood that I was bidding farewell to the active politics. My services will always be there as and when my party needs it."

This decision naturally begs the question: Who will be the octogenarian Basu's successor. Though Biswas declined to name anyone first, saying "it was too early to dwell upon this issue", he did hint at the possible elevation of the state Deputy Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya.

"Mr Bhattacharya has been doing a marvellous job as Mr Basu's deputy; therefore I don't foresee any problems in choosing the next chief minister," he said

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