Jyoti Basu stable, still on ventilator support

Kolkata: Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) patriarch Jyoti Basu, in hospital since Jan 1 following a pneumonia attack, continued to be on ventilator support but was stable, a hospital official said today.

"He is stable with ventilator support. His condition is the same as it was on Wednesday," AMRI hospital Medical Superintendent Debasish Sharma told media.

CPI-M politburo member Sitaram Yechuri, who visited Basu today morning, claimed the 96-year-old leader was responding to a new course of antibiotics.

"The doctors said he is responding to the new antibiotic. He is better than what he was on Wednesday morning," Yechuri said.

The medical board treating Basu and now comprising eight specialists was assessing his condition. "He has been a fighter all his life. And now also he is fighting."

Yechuri said lot of disinformation was spread on Wednesday about Basu's condition.

"All this disinformation (being spread) should stop. We have to rely on the information the doctors are providing," he added.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was slated to call on the ailing leader around noon today. Among other political luminaries scheduled to visit him are CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat and CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan.

Basu, who was West Bengal chief minister from 1977 to 2000, had to be put on ventilator support early on Wednesday when his condition became "very critical" following breathing problems.

However, later in the evening a hospital medical bulletin said his condition had slightly improved.

Basu was hospitalised Jan 1 following respiratory problems. A CT scan later revealed that he had pneumonia.