Jyoti Basu critical, 'some positive change'

Kolkata: The condition of CPI-M leader Jyoti Basu, in hospital with pneumonia, continued to remain critical today but doctors attending on him said he has shown some 'positive changes'.

"Basu's condition deteriorated in the morning and he was put on ventilator. His condition is still critical but he hasshown some positive changes since the last bulletin at 1130 hrs," a medical bulletin issued by the hospital at 6:00 pm said.

"His blood pressure has been controlled a bit and one urine output was OK," AMRI Hospital executive director told reporters when asked about the positive changes.

Doctors of the medical board were constantly monitoring the condition of the 95-year-old former West Bengal chief minister and would review his condition tomorrow at 11:00 am, he said.

Basu, who was admitted to hospital on Friday, wasimproving till yesterday, but his health parameters turned erratic early this morning and he was put on life support, Superintendent of the private hospital Hospital Dr Debashish Sharma said.

Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee told reporters at the state secretariat, "Basu's condition is not good."

Prime minister Manmohan Singh telephoned to enquire about Basu's condition, he said.

Railway minister Mamata Banerjee, former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee, CPI-M politburo member Biman Bose and state Congress working president Pradip Bhattacharya were among those who visited the hospital today.

Sources:

Kolkata: The condition of CPI-M leader Jyoti Basu, in hospital with pneumonia, continued to remain critical today but doctors attending on him said he has shown some 'positive changes'.