PM, Pranab Mukherjee visit Basu in hospital

Marxist patriarch Jyoti Basu, who is battling for his life, today had Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visiting him and offering help in bringing experts from other parts of the country for his treatment.

Accompanied by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Singh flew in here and spent about 20 minutes at the AMRI hospital and discussed the treatment procedures with the doctors. Singh assured them that if any other doctor is required for consultation from any part of India for Basu's treatment, he can make arrangements, if informed, former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said quoting the Prime Minister.

The doctors told the Prime Minister that they would inform him if the situation so required, Chatterjee said.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and WBPCC Working President Pradip Bhattacharya were present there during the Prime Minister's visit. Meanwhile, doctors attending on the former Chief Minister said, “Basu's condition showed some improvement yesterday. Today, however, there is no further improvement in his condition and his blood pressure is fluctuating from time to time.” Basu was put on ventilator in the ICCU since yesterday after his condition deteriorated. The Prime Minister also spoke to Basu's son Chandan and conveyed his best wishes for the ailing leader's speedy recovery.

"We are deeply touched by the trouble taken by the Prime Minister by coming and visiting our leader," he said. CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat, who visited the hospital, said after talking to doctors that on the basis of medication and treatment "we expect some recovery but we will have to keep a watch for the next two days".