Teary farewell to Communist leader Balakrishnan in Kerala

KANNUR: The mortal remains of CPI (M) stalwart Kodiyeri Balakrishnan were consigned to flames on Monday here in the presence of tens of thousands of party workers and senior leaders.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Marxist party General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, along with other leaders carried the body of Balakrishnan to the pyre readied at Payyambalam beach.

Balakrishnan, who was the former Home and Tourism minister of Kerala, was cremated with full state honours. His two sons, Binoy and Bineesh, lit the pyre while slogans hailing the departed leader reverberated across the beach.

Vijayan, party state secretary M V Govindan, leaders M A Baby, A Vijayaraghavan, M V Jayarajan, and state ministers took part in the over three kilometre long procession of party workers.

The senior Left leader passed away at a private hospital in Chennai on October 1 after battling cancer. He was 70.