VETERAN MARXIST leader and CPIM patriach Jyoti Basu passed away in the AMRI hospital in Kolkata on 11:47 AM on Sunday. The 95 year old had multiple organ failure and had been hospitalised since January 1, due to a reported acute respiratory failure.

On Friday, doctors at the hospital had reported that his condition was critical and hope for his survival was receding. As his heartbeat had dropped below 50, they had also installed a temporary pacemaker. His vital organs, included his brain, kidney, liver, lungs and heart had started sinking through Friday night even as he was put on life support.

On Saturday evening, Siddhartha Shankar Ray, Prakash and Brinda Karat, Somnath Chatterjee and Amitabh Bachchan had come to give a visit to the CPIM doyen in his ward.

Jyoti Kiran Basu, born on July 8, 1914 has been the Chief Minister of West Bengal for 24 years - from 1977 to 2000. The CPIM patriach even had the chance of becoming the first communist Prime Minister of India in 1996, if his party had not backed out of participating in the Central government then.

The official announcement of Jyoti Basu's death was made by Left Front Chairman Biman Bose at 12:30 PM. A teary eyed Biman Bose said, "I have to give you a sad news that Jyoti Basu is no longer with us.