CPI-M leader Surjeet passes away
Harkishan Singh Surjeet, the pragmatic Marxist leader, who played a key role in keeping BJP out of power in 1996 and helped Congress form a coalition government at the Centre eight years later, died here yesterday after prolonged illness.
92-year-old Surjeet, who was convalescing at the Metro Hospital in nearby Noida since July 25, breathed his last at 1335 hours, CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat told PTI.
The former party General Secretary was earlier admitted to the hospital on May six following a severe cardiac arrest and slipped into coma on May 16. He fought back and was discharged on June three.
Dr Purushottam Lal, chief of Metro Hospital, told PTI that Surjeet died of a cardiac arrest.
Along with another veteran Marxist Jyoti Basu, Surjeet had played a major role in guiding Congress President Sonia Gandhi in the aftermath of 2004 elections to bring together secular forces.
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