Bright flame flickers out; Sitaram Yechury passes away at 72

NEW DELHI: The revolutionary star which rose like a spark from the JNU campus and became the unchallenged leader of the CPM and a powerhouse in national politics, has faded. Sitaram Yechury, who led the CPM with a gentle face and firm convictions for over a decade, passed away at the age of 72. He breathed his last yesterday at 3 pm while undergoing treatment for pneumonia at AIIMS.

His wife Seema Chishti, a media professional, daughter Dr. Akhila, a professor, and his son Ashish's wife Swati were by his side when he passed away. He was admitted to AIIMS on August 19 due to a severe fever and was later shifted to the intensive care unit after his pneumonia worsened. He had been on a ventilator for the past week.

Sitaram Yechury, a pragmatic political strategist, maintained close relationships with leaders from all parties. He was the bridge between the CPM and the Congress, their rival in Kerala and Bengal. He had a strong connection with Kerala and even led the campaign in the state during the last Lok Sabha election.

In 1996, Yechury supported Harkishan Singh Surjeet's efforts to form a multi-party alliance with Jyoti Basu as Prime Minister, but the party rejected it. This was one of many critical issues where Yechury clashed with the party. In 2004, Yechury played a key role in forming the UPA government. In 2008, he opposed withdrawing support to the government over the India-US nuclear deal. Most recently, he took the initiative to form an 'INDIA' alliance against the BJP.

Yechury navigated the CPM through turbulent times, despite facing opposition from the influential Kerala faction. He emerged as the General Secretary at the 2015 Party Congress in Visakhapatnam, triumphing over internal challenges to secure the top post.

In 1992, he drafted a new ideological document for the CPM to overcome the crisis created by the collapse of the Soviet Union. From 2005 to 2018, he served two terms in the Rajya Sabha. His intervention in the 2G spectrum scam was notable. He was an excellent orator and a skilled parliamentarian.