PRAGOTI

One of the stalwart communist leaders of India and the head of the longest elected communist government anywhere in the world - Comrade Jyoti Basu breathed his last at the ripe age of 96 at Kolkata today.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist), whose first politburo (PB), constituted in 1964 included Comrade Jyoti Basu - in fact he was last surviving member of that PB - pays its homage to its leader in this statement.

Pragoti deeply mourns the death of Comrade Jyoti Basu and hails his long legacy - as freedom fighter, as a working class organiser and later as the leader of the most popular and longest serving state government in India. He had dedicated his life to strive for an egalitarian and secular India. Pragoti endeavours to take that legacy forward and realise his vision.