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Indian communist leader Basu dies Indian communist leader Basu dies
(20 minutes later)
Veteran Indian communist leader Jyoti Basu has died at the age of 95.Veteran Indian communist leader Jyoti Basu has died at the age of 95.
He led the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) and was chief minister of West Bengal state from 1977 to 2000.He led the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) and was chief minister of West Bengal state from 1977 to 2000.
His government was credited with restoring political stability to the state, and bringing in land reforms to help the poor. Jyoty Basu was credited with restoring stability to the state, and bringing in land reforms. He died in Calcutta after a long illness.
Jyoty Basu died in Calcutta after a long illness. He was often described as a Fabian socialist rather than an orthodox communist. In 1996 he was offered to lead the federal government as PM in a left-of-centre coalition, but his party chose to support it from the outside.
Mr Basu described his party's decision decision not to join the coalition as a "historic blunder."
He made Communism look respectable Sabyasachi Basu Roy Choudhuri Obituary: Jyoti Basu
The BBC's Soutik Biswas in Dehli says he was easily India's most respected communist leader.
He was often described as a Fabian socialist rather than an orthodox communist.