New Delhi: Former Congress President Sonia Gandhi paid her last respects to senior Left politician Sitaram Yechury on Saturday at the Communist Party of India (CPI-M) headquarters, who passed away after a protracted battle with pneumonia.
Sonia Gandhi paid floral tributes to the CPI-M veteran, whose body was kept in AK Gopalan Bhavan, the party’s headquarters, for public viewing and honour.
“Party workers and his well-wishers can visit the Gopalan Bhavan between 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and pay tributes to the late Sitaram Yechury,” the CPI-M said in a statement earlier.
After honouring the veteran, Sonia Gandhi met his family and offered her condolences.
Earlier, Sonia Gandhi expressed her sorrow over Yechury’s death, recalling their strong relationship under UPA-I.
“I am very saddened by the passing away of Sitaram Yechury. We had worked closely together during 2004-08 to begin with, and the friendship that had been established then continued till his very end. He played a pivotal role in UPA-I and more recently contributed immensely to the formation of INDIA group in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections,” said the longest-serving Congress president.
She also lauded his “uncompromising” commitment to the values of the Indian Constitution and said that his 12-year stint in Parliament will remain etched in history.
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Yechury’s body was kept at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) for students to pay their respects. It was here that Yechury made his political debut. He joined the Students Federation of India (SFI) at JNU and was elected President three times, beginning in 1977.
CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury passed away on Thursday at the AIIMS after a long illness. He was 72. He had been in serious condition for a few days and was receiving breathing support on September 12. He was admitted to the hospital on August 19th.
The demise of Sitaram Yechury saw condolences pouring in from all political quarters, including the BJP leaders.
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–IANS
