Sitaram Yechury, Veteran CPI(M) Leader, Passes Away at 72

New Delhi/Panjab Post
Sitaram Yechury, the esteemed general secretary of the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI(M)), has died at the age of 72 following a prolonged illness. Sources from both the party and the hospital confirmed his passing on Thursday. Yechury had been critically ill at AIIMS in New Delhi, where he was receiving respiratory support in the intensive care unit for an acute respiratory tract infection.
AIIMS reported that a multi-disciplinary team of doctors was closely monitoring Yechury’s critical condition. As a prominent figure in Indian politics, Yechury was well-known for his staunch opposition to the BJP, both in Parliament and in public discourse. His influence within the Left Front was significant, having been a member of the CPI(M)’s central committee since 1984 and serving on the politburo since 1992. Yechury’s term in the Rajya Sabha concluded in 2020, following a decision by the CPI(M)’s Kerala faction, led by Prakash Karat and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, not to re-nominate him. This decision was based on a party rule limiting members to two terms. Had he been re-nominated, Yechury was expected to win a seat from West Bengal, with Congress support. He was also recognized as a close advisor to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and played a pivotal role in the formation of the opposition INDIA alliance, spearheaded by JDU’s Nitish Kumar.