By TC News Desk
Agartala, 13th September 2024: The General Secretary of the CPIM Sitaram Yechury passed away at the age of 72. Yechury was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi on August 19 due to a severe lung infection. Despite being under intensive care from the beginning, his condition deteriorated on Monday night. He breathed his last at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, despite the relentless efforts of the medical team.
Yechury, born on August 12, 1952, in Madras (now Chennai), hailed from a family in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. His political journey began during his student days at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi, where he became involved in leftist politics. He joined the CPM and decided to dedicate himself to full-time politics, gradually rising to the top echelons of the party. In 2015, he was elected as the All India General Secretary of the CPM at the Kozhikode Party Congress. Known for his opposition to Prakash Karat’s extremist policies within the party, Yechury played a pivotal role in supporting the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre.
Yechury was a staunch advocate of the ‘Bengal Line’ within the CPM and served as a Rajya Sabha member from West Bengal from 2005 to 2017. He was known for his close association with former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya.
In response to Yechury’s passing, the CPIM Tripura State Committee organized a mourning procession in Agartala to honor his memory. Former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, CPIM State Secretary Jitendra Chaudhary, and other prominent leaders led the procession, with party workers and supporters participating with flags at half-mast.
Addressing the media, Sarkar expressed his condolences to Yechury’s family, stating, “Sitaram Yechury’s demise is a significant loss to our party. He joined the CPIM in 1975 and dedicated his life to the party’s cause. His leadership and vision will be sorely missed.”
Yechury’s body was kept at AIIMS on Thursday night and was later taken to his residence in Vasant Kunj, Delhi, at 6 p.m. on Friday. The body will be placed at the CPIM headquarters, AK Gopalan Bhavan, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday for party members and supporters to pay their last respects. Following this, the party leadership will accompany the body on its final journey from AIIMS after 3 p.m. on Saturday.
