From correspondents in West Bengal, India, 10:03 PM IST

Kolkata - Anil Biswas, member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo, remained critical Thursday with no improvement in his neurological status, five days after he was operated upon for a cerebral stroke.

The seven-member medical board constituted for his treatment at the Woodlands Nursing Home met here and informed Thursday morning that his overall condition continued to be critical.

'He still remains on ventilatory support in a critical condition. His blood pressure was stabilised with drugs,' said Dr Jayanta Bose, a member of the medical board.

Biswas suffered a massive brain haemorrhage on March 18 and he underwent a surgery Saturday wherein a blood clot in his brain was removed.

The deterioration in his health has come as a big jolt to the party in the run-up to assembly elections next month as he is their key campaign strategist.

In his absence, the CPI-M politburo Monday entrusted West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and Left Front chairman Biman Bose with the responsibility of election work.

Biswas is credited with the gradual liberalisation of the party from its hardline approach in West Bengal.

A member of the party's politburo since 1998, Biswas became the state secretary of the CPI-M the same year. A former editor of the party mouthpiece in Bengali, Ganashakti, 62-year-old Biswas is considered to be the brain behind the party's important decisions in West Bengal politics.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)