M A I N   N E W S

Bhattacharjee elected LF leader
Basu’s resignation accepted

CALCUTTA, Oct 29 (UNI, PTI) — The ruling Left Front in West Bengal today informed Governor Viren J. Shah that it had elected Deputy Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee as the new leader of the front legislature party after the retirement of Mr Jyoti Basu.

Official sources said here that the front’s decision to elect Mr Bhattacharjee as the new leader was communicated to the Governor in a letter. The letter was faxed to Mr Shah, who is now holidaying in Darjeeling.

Chief Minister Jyoti Basu faxed his resignation letter to Mr Shah last night after the Left Front committee endorsed his retirement and elected Mr Bhattacharjee as his successor.

The Governor has accepted Mr Basu’s resignation but asked him to continue till an alternative arrangement was made. Mr Bhattacharjee will be sworn-in at a simple function at Raj Bhavan here on November 6.

Mr Basu, who has resigned on health ground, has described Mr Bhattacharjee as “worthy successor”. “He has done well as Deputy Chief Minister and has the capability of leading the front government,” Mr Basu said removing apprehensions that Mr Bhattacharjee might face some problems from some of the front partners, who had resented Mr Basu’s retirement.

SILIGURI: Octogenarian Jyoti Basu’s resignation on health grounds from chief ministership of the Left Front government in West Bengal on Sunday became official with Governor Viren J. Shah accepting it.

“The Governor accepted Mr Basu’s resignation and asked him to continue in office till alternative arrangements are made,” Raj Bhavan sources said.

Mr Shah, who is holidaying in Darjeeling, would fix his date of return to Calcutta after being officially intimated by the state’s Chief Secretary on the swearing-in of the new ministry, the sources said.

The Governor received the longest serving Chief Minister’s letter on Saturday night at 10.00 pm, shortly after the Left Front approved Mr Basu’s decision to demit the office.

Earlier, a Left Front meeting in Calcutta approved Mr Basu’s resignation elected his deputy Buddhadev Bhattacharjee as his successor, who would be sworn in on November 6.

Front Chairman Sailen Dasgupta had said “Mr Basu will continue to function as Chief Minister till November 6 when Mr Bhattacharjee will be sworn in.”

Mr Dasgupta said other ministers would also take oath but “there would not be any change in their portfolios and the Deputy Chief Minister’s post would be abolished”.

Mr Basu ruled West Bengal for 24 consecutive years before announcing his decision to resign on health grounds.

Mr Basu explained in detail to the coalition partners his inability to function as Chief Minister. “I have been requesting for long to relieve me from the post. Now I want to quit. I seek your approval,” Mr Basu told the meeting.

Mr Dasgupta said a proposal to make Mr Basu the Left Front chairman was not discussed, but he would continue to work for the party both at the state and national levels as the party politburo member.

Front partners became emotional and some of them raised objection to the undisputed leader’s stepping down, but later every one approved his decision to demit office. Mr Basu thanked them for their approval.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister designate Buddhadev Bhattacharjee and state Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta on Sunday reviewed the flood situation in West Bengal which continued to improve with water in some rivers receding further.

Stating that funds were yet to be received from the Centre, the ministers said that the state government had already spent Rs 569 crore on relief and rehabilitation for the affected people.

Mr Dasgupta said all rivers, including Churni in Nadia and Ichhamati in North 24-Parganas district, were receding. The state government had so far dismantled 26 structures of fishing “bheries” in Ichhamati and Yamuna rivers to flush out accumulated water from several areas in North 24-Parganas district, he said.

The breached embankment between Kalukhali and Bhagawangola in Murshidabad district had already been repaired, Mr Dasgupta added.