Paying glowing tribute to former West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today described him as the "first and last chapter of the Left Front government".
The railway minister said she had developed a close intimacy with Basu in the years before his death after he stepped down as chief minister of West Bengal. "We are all deeply shocked at his death".
"He was a tall political figure in the country. He was instrumental behind formation of the Left Front government in West Bengal. He was the first and last chapter of the Left Front government and Left movement," Banerjee, who had visited Basu at the hospital earlier in the day, said.
"I had good contact with him for the last 10 years. After he stepped down from office as chief minister I had gone to see him 10 times. Towards the end, a deep bond had developed between us. He used to ask me about my political movement."
Banerjee said Basu wanted her to be present at his birthday positively and "I did that rushing from an official programme at Trivandrum".
She said, "We would have been happy if he had lived for some days more."
"May his soul rest in peace. Whenever he called me, I rushed in," Banerjee, who had visited Basu during the height of the Singur land crisis, said.
The Trinamool Congress leader announced that all programmes of the party scheduled for today had been cancelled as a mark of respect to the departed leader.
