'Buddha was to play major role in Delhi'

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee, after the Left Front's victory, would have to play a more crucial role at the Centre, veteran CPI(M) leader Jyoti Basu said on Thursday.

"We have problems with the UPA government. Not only in the state, Buddhadev Bhattacharjee now will have to play a more crucial role in Delhi in view of the differences between the Left parties and the ruling UPA," Basu said.

With the Left Front set to improve its 199-seat tally in 2001 and which would be viewed as a referendum on the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's pro-reform and economic policies, Basu said that under his chief ministership the Left Front government had been able to get rid of the financial crisis.

The state was facing a financial crunch towards the end of the tenure of the fifth Left Front government in the state, he said, but the government led by Bhattacherjee did a good job. "The state has overcome the financial crisis."