Kolkata (PTI): Veteran Bengali actor and eminent theatre personality Manoj Mitra has been hospitalised with old age-related ailments and his condition is “very critical”, officials of the medical facility said.

The octogenarian was admitted to hospital with breathing trouble, sodium- potassium imbalance among other health issues, they said.

“Mr Mitra’s condition is very critical. He is under observation,” one of the doctors treating him told PTI on Sunday evening.

Famous for his stellar performances in films like Tapan Sinha's ‘Banchharamer Bagan’, Mitra has also acted in legendary director Satyajit Ray’s classics ‘Ghare Baire’ and ‘Ganashatru’.

Mitra, 85, also featured in films of eminent directors Buddhadeb Dasgupta, Basu Chatterjee, Tarun Majumdar, Shakti Samanta and Goutam Ghose.

He has written over 100 plays.

Among several accolades, the thespian won the Sangeet Natak Akademy Award for Best Playwright in 1985.

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Hassan (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that the Congress government led by him was ready to face the no-confidence motion if moved by the opposition during the legislature session from December 8.

With Deputy CM D K Shivakumar by his side, he reiterated that they would both abide by the high command's decision on the leadership issue.

"Let them (opposition) bring in a no-confidence motion or adjournment motion or any other motion. We are ready to face it. Ours is an open book, transparent government. We are ready to face anything," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question.

However, BJP state President B Y Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, clarified that the party, along with the JD(S) has not discussed or decided anything so far regarding moving a no-confidence motion against the government.

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The winter session of the Karnataka legislature will begin in Belagavi, bordering Maharashtra, on December 8 and will go on till 19th of this month.

Not wanting to react to a question on the leadership issue, the CM said the Congress high command is very strong.

"D K Shivakumar and I will be committed to whatever the high command decides," he said.

Earlier in the day in Bengaluru, Shivakumar accompanied AICC Mallikarjun Kharge till airport from Vidhana Soudha, after paying tributes to B R Ambedkar on his 69th death anniversary, which had led to some speculation about possible discussion between the two on the leadership issue.

The power tussle within the ruling party had intensified amid speculation about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.

However, both the CM and Deputy CM had recently held breakfast meetings at each others residences, on the instructions of the high command, which is seen as a move to pause the leadership tussle between the two and to signal Siddaramaiah's continuation as the CM for the time being, especially ahead of the Belagavi legislature session.