Veteran CPI(M) Leader Sitaram Yechury Passes Away at 72 After Prolonged Illness
Desk Report, September, 12, 2024: Sitaram Yechury, General Secretary of the CPI(M) and former Rajya Sabha MP, passed away on Thursday at the age of 72 after a prolonged illness. He had been receiving treatment at AIIMS, Delhi, for a severe respiratory tract infection. Yechury had been under intensive care, and over the past few days, he was on respiratory support, receiving care from a team of specialists.
He is survived by his wife, Seema Chishti, who is an editor at The Wire, along with their daughter Akhila and son Daanish. Yechury’s death marks the end of an influential career in Indian politics, where he played a key role in shaping the CPI(M)’s strategies during crucial coalition eras.
Yechury honed his political skills under the guidance of Harkishan Singh Surjeet, a veteran CPI(M) leader. Surjeet had been instrumental in the party’s support of the National Front government under V.P. Singh, as well as the United Front government in 1996-97. Both times, CPI(M) backed these governments from outside the coalition.
During the first UPA government, Yechury played a significant role as the Left parties supported the Congress-led regime. His leadership saw the CPI(M) frequently applying pressure on the government, influencing major policy decisions. His death is a major loss to the CPI(M) and the broader political landscape in India.
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