Lost a friend of 60 years says former West Bengal CM SS Ray

Former West Bengal chief minister Siddharta Shankar Ray today bade farewell to Jyoti Basu, his friend of 60 years."He was a friend of 60 years. Jyoti was all along a fighter. He fought throughout his life and fought for his life in last few days," 90-year-old Ray, whose Congress regime in West Bengal ended in 1977 when Basu became chief minister of the Left Front government, said.     Ray, who visited the hospital where Basu was admitted twice, including last night to see his ailing friend, said "It is a great personal loss to me. We were friends since 1946-47. It is also a tremendous loss to the CPI(M). I am a sad man today." The former Punjab governor and Ambassador to the US said he would not go to pay his last respects as "it is not possible for me to see his (Basu's) lifeless body."Ray, also a distinguished barrister, said he remembered the days when he, his wife Maya and Basu were together. "I am remembering those days with Jyoti with a heavy heart."