law. Here is where his political thoughts were chiseled. He became a member of Indian League led by VK Krishna Menon. Basu first came in contact with the Communist ideologies through the Communist leaders at the Communist Party of Great Britain. He also got an opportunity to meet Harry Pollit, Rajni Palme Dutt, Ben Bradley and other leaders of CPGB.

Jyoti Basu came back to India in 1940 after completing his studies and enrolled himself as a barrister in Calcutta High Court. But, Basu never practiced law because he was involved wholly in politics.

In the year 1944, Basu became a part of the trade union front. In the same year, Bengal Assam Railroad Workers’ Union was constituted and he was the first secretary of the Union.

In 1946, he was elected to the Bengal Provincial Assembly from the Railway Workers Constituency.

Every worker’s movement in Bengal in the year 1946-47 - be it the Tebhaga movement or the workers strike or the communal riots - was incomplete without Basu.

Between 1953 and 1961, Basu was the secretary of the West Bengal Provincial Committee of the Party. He became the Polit Bureau member in 1964.

After Independence, he was elected to the assembly from Baranagar in the year 1952. Since then, he was elected to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly in 1957, 1962, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1991 and 1996.

Basu became the deputy Chief Minister in the United Front Ministry in the year 1969.

In the year 1970, he scrapped through an assassination attempt at the Patna Railway Station by the Anandmargis.

In 1971, the CPI (M) was the single largest party that won the assembly elections but was not allowed to form the government as President’s Rule was imposed.

In 1977, Basu became the Chief Minister of Bengal at the age of 63. He served in the seat for nearly 24 years continuously.

In the year 1996, he was given an opportunity to become the Prime Minister of the country but the CPI (M) decided to support the government from outside.

Due to ill health, Basu retired from Chief Ministership but yet was a part of the party and even took part in the election campaign in 2006.

Basu is survived by son Chandan and three grandchildren. His wife Kamal Basu died a few years back.