Former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu celebrated his
96th birthday with well wishers at his home. Students, political
friends and rivals, and other admirers visited the Marxist leader.
He is the last of the nine founding politburo members of the
Communist Party of India (CPI-M). Mr. Basu was the Chief Minister of West
Bengal from 1977 to 2000.
Basu has played an integral role in the CPI-M's continued
success in the state of West Bengal. He made his political debut in 1946 and
was elected to the state assembly 11 times.