Thu Sep 12 17:58:04 UTC 2024: ## CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury Passes Away at 72

**New Delhi, India -** Prominent Indian politician and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury passed away on Thursday at the age of 72. He was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on August 19th after being diagnosed with pneumonia.

Yechury, a former Rajya Sabha MP, had been in the intensive care unit (ICU) for several days, battling an acute respiratory tract infection. His condition was reported to be critical, and he was receiving treatment from a multidisciplinary team of doctors.

Yechury’s passing has sparked widespread grief and tributes from across the political spectrum. Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded him as a “leading light of the Left,” praising his ability to connect with people from diverse political backgrounds. President Droupadi Murmu described him as a “distinct and influential voice” in Indian politics.

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi remembered Yechury as a “powerful champion of secularism” and a pivotal figure in the UPA-1 government. She also acknowledged his crucial role in the formation of the INDIA coalition for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Yechury’s political career spanned decades, marked by his strong commitment to communist ideology and his significant role in various coalition governments. He served as the general secretary of the CPI(M) since 2015, following in the footsteps of veteran leader Harkishan Singh Surjeet.

Yechury’s body will be kept at his residence in Delhi on Friday night, and will be taken to the CPI(M) central committee office on Saturday morning for public viewing before being handed over to AIIMS.

His death marks a significant loss for the Indian political landscape, leaving a void in the Left movement.

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