The health condition of former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee remained critical on Friday but he has shown signs of improvement in almost all clinical aspects and is alert at present, the private hospital where he is undergoing treatment said in a bulletin.

The veteran CPI(M) leader, who has been suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other old age-related ailments, was admitted to the hospital on December 9 as his breathing-related problems had aggravated.

Bhattacharjee has shown signs of improvement "in almost all clinical aspects, he is conscious and alert at present," the bulletin said.

He communicated with his wife and daughter "satisfactorily" this afternoon and his blood pressure, pulse and oxygen saturation are stable, it said.

The 76-year-old leader is currently on non-invasive ventilation.

According to the bulletin, intravenous (IV) fluids, IV antibiotics, IV steroids and other supportive medications are on and some more time is needed "to say he is completely out of danger."

Bhattacharjee who was the chief minister of West Bengal from 2000 to 2011, has been away from public life for the past few years due to ill health.

He had stepped down from the Politburo and the central committee, the top decision-making bodies of the CPI(M), in 2015 and gave up membership of the state secretariat in 2018.