Friday, December 29, 2006

Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee's 25-day fasting


Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee has reportedly ended her 25-day fast following an appeal from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tonight.

The Prime Minister had sent a letter to Mamata, asking her to end the fast she began in protest against the 'forceful' acquisition of land for the Tata Motors project in Singur, West Bengal. In a personal letter written to Mamata, the PM promised that the Chief Minister will discuss all issues with her.

Earlier on Thursday, Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya had also sent a letter to Mamata with a compromise formula. The move came after the Chief Minister held a meeting with key ministers including Industries Minister Nirupam Sen.

In a parallel move, an NDA delegation, led by former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, also met President A P J Abdul Kalam and presented a memorandum asking him to personally intervene in the matter.Kalam expressed serious concern at the deteriorating health of Mamata and spoke to Manmohan Singh. (Agencies)

She is undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit of a city hospital as her heart and pulse rates are low. She is being treated to correct her dehydration, hypoglycaeamia and other nutritional deficiencies, Kakoli Ghoshdastidar, a doctor attending on her, said on Friday morning. "She is on oxygen unit and intravenous fluid correction," she said.

Investigation was also being carried out to ascertain whether any of her vital organs had failed or not. Anxious party supporters gathered outside the south Kolkata nursing home to know about the health condition of Mamata.

"I am ending the fast because the country's top leaders, including President APJ Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, have requested me to do so", Mamata had said at the stroke of midnight, announcing her decision to end her fast.

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