Sonia, leaders to pay homage to Basu

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and BJP leader L K Advani will pay homage tomorrow to Jyoti Basu who would be given a state funeral.

"Jyoti Basu will be given a state funeral tomorrow. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will led a 30-member delegation to pay tribute to Basu at the assembly premises where his body will be kept for over five hours," Assembly Speaker Hasim Abdul Halim told reporters here.

Among other leaders to pay homage would be union ministers Sharad Pawar and Jaipal Reddy, former Lok Sabha speaker P A Sangma, former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and RJD leader Lalu Prasad, Chief Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty said.

Under a changed schedule, Basu's body will be taken from the funeral parlour where it is being kept and taken to CPI(M) headquarters at Alimuddin Street at around 8:30 am.

CPI-M politburo and Central and State Committee members besides leaders of other political parties will pay homage to the Marxist patriarch at the CPI-M headquarters, party state secretary Biman Bose said.

The Prime Minister told CPI(M) leaders that he will not be able to go to Kolkata due to his official preoccupations tomorrow, a senior party leader said.

Union Ministers A K Antony and S M Krishna also visited the CPI(M) headquarters to offer their condolences.

Defence Minister Antony said the departed leader's guidance was useful for him.

"I was the Chief Minister of Kerala in 1977 while he was the Chief Minister in Bengal. I know him very intimately. He was a unique person who gave correct directions to find solutions to problems. His guidance was useful for me," he said.