Jyoti Basu's appeal to Congress voters

Kolkata: With the crucial by-election to 10 Assembly seats in West Bengal barely nine days away, CPM patriarch Jyoti Basu has stepped in to rescue his party.

In his first direct appeal to Congress supporters, since the Left's poor showing in the Lok Sabha polls, a desperate basu said: "I am specially requesting them (Congress supporters) to support the Left for the sake of peace, order and development in the state."

The 95-year-old former Chief Minister, who led the state for over 25 years, charged Trinamool Congress with joining hands with Maoists to unleash violence in the state.