Amitabh Bachchan visits Jyoti Basu

Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Saturday visited a city private hospital where Marxist leader Jyoti Basu is described by doctors attending on him to be in a very critical condition.

Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Saturday visited a city private hospital where Marxist leader Jyoti Basu is described by doctors attending on him to be in a very critical condition.

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Bachchan, who was here in the city to promote his film "Rann", spent half-an-hour at the hospital and spoke to doctors about Basu's condition.

"He waited with all of us on the ninth floor of the hospital. He has left a 'get well soon' note for Basu," CPI-M leader Md. Salim told reporters on emerging from the hospital after Bachchan left.

Draped in a black suit and red tie, Bachchan, however, did not speak to the media. He left the hospital premises after a namaskar (with folded hands) to hundreds of his fans who gathered outside.

"Though he was asked to go to the seventh floor (where Basu is staying), he maintained that he will inquire about Basu's condition from the doctors and not go to the seventh floor as dialysis was going on."

Born 1914 in Kolkata, Basu became chief minister of West Bengal in June 1977. He stepped down voluntarily on health grounds in November 2000.

Siddhartha Shankar Ray, who visited Basu for the second time Saturday, said: "If he stays well, I will visit again."