President, PM mourn Surjeet death

President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh mourned the death after prolonged illness of Communist veteran Harkishan Singh Surjeet.

President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh mourned the death after prolonged illness of Communist veteran Harkishan Singh Surjeet on Friday afternoon.

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While the president's office sent a condolence message, the prime minister described the late leader as a "great patriot".

Manmohan Singh, who reached Colombo on Friday to attend the SAARC summit, said the Marxist veteran was a "friend, guide and supporter".

Remembering Surjeet's role in bringing various political parties together to form a coalition, Manmohan Singh said he was the architect of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

Surjeet, who had been the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary from 1992-2005, died after a cardiac arrest at 1.35 p.m. at the Metro Hospital in Noida.

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D. Raja said Surjeet's death was a "big loss".

Observing that the departed leader was a "great inspiration", CPI-M leader Nilotpal Basu said: "He played a pivotal role in bringing together different political parties and changing the political scenario."

Added Mohammed Salim, a CPI-M MP from West Bengal: "He developed a young band of communist leaders, who are politically aware, unlike others who promote their daughters, sons and in-laws. He was a very hard working person and did not waste any time. He built the party and the movement and fought against divisive communal forces.