Saturday, April 2 2005 10:18 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: Veteran Communist Party if India-Marxist (CPM) leader Jyoti Basu has expressed his desire to quit the party politburo on the ground of his failing health, sources close to him said today (April 2, 2005).

The nonagenarian former Chief Minister of West Bengal said he would submit his views of stepping down from the politburo at the CPM party Congress beginning on April 6.

Basu, who quit as Chief Minister on 2001 on the ground of ill health, said that his present health condition was not permitting him to continue as a politburo member.

However, he would attend the party congress in April.

Meanwhile, CPM State secretary and another politburo member Anil Biswas indicated that Basu's desire might not be entertained at the party Congress. The party would require his services at this complex political situation in the country, he said.