Basu's death evokes reactions from political leaders

West Bengal’s communist patriarch Jyoti Basu's death has evoked reactions from across the political spectrum. While his political legacy is disputed, all agree that he was a legend in his own right.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee: I have lost a great well wisher, India has lost a great parliamentarian and a patriot.

L K Advani: He was instrumental in making the Marxist movement a part of democracy. I offer my condolences to Jyoti Basu.

Former Lok Sabha speaker, Somnath Chatterjee: Today is a sad day for everyone. Jyoti not only was a leader but a national leader. It is a great loss for the country.

CPM politburo member, Sitaram Yechuri: He was a very fine man. He was very considerate about his fellow comrades.

CPI leader, A B Bardhan: He was a great person and a great communist. He was a friend to all the poor people. He has a record as a chief minister. Secure and democratic forces wanted to make him the Prime Minsiter of India.

Trinamool Congress president and Railways Minister, Mamata Banerjee: We discussed so many things, political development, our movement. He extended his full cooperation to me and my movement. Today, he is no more so I came to pray my condolences and our respect to him, his family members, his colleagues and workers.

West Bengal Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee: I tried to understand his abilities...his power to convince people, how he dealt with political issues, for example law and order, communal issues. He never hesitated, he could take immediate decisions. In most cases it worked. I tried to learn from him.

CPM politburo member, Prakash Karat: He was a communist leader who was able to translate into actual practice many of the things we talk about and believe in. Comrade Jyoti Basu had that ability to put it into practice therefore he was the most practical leader.

Nitish Kumar: His death is a great loss to the whole country and the political world. I offer my condolences to the great leader.

Arun Jaitley: The Bharatiya Janata Party moans his death and we express our condolences. We pray for the peace of his soul and will be conveying our condolences both to his family and also to his party leadership.