Thousands gather in Kannur to bid farewell to CPI(M) leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan

Thousands gathered on both sides of the road to catch one final glimpse of former CPI(M) State secretary and Politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, when his mortal remains were brought to his home district in Kerala’s Kannur district on Sunday, October 2.  Kodiyeri passed away at Apollo Hospital in Chennai on Saturday evening after a long-drawn battle with cancer.

His mortal remains reached Kannur airport at 1.15 pm on Sunday and the 23-km stretch from Kannur airport to Thalassery town hall was filled with huge crowds on both sides of the road. CPI(M) Kannur District Committee had made arrangements at various points in the district for people to pay homage to the departed leader.

CPI(M) leadership has decided that the ambulance carrying Kodiyeri Balakrishnan's mortal remains should not be stopped in between and people should be allowed to have a final glimpse of his body at the Thalassery town hall, where his body will be kept till late Sunday evening after which it will be taken to his residence 'Kodiyeri' in Ingayil Peedika, Thalassery.

Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, who shot to prominence after becoming the State SFI (Students' Federation of India) Secretary at the age of 20, became a CPI(M) MLA from Thalassery at age 29. In between, he served one-and-a-half years of prison term during the Emergency and shared a cell at the Kannur Central jail with Pinarayi Vijayan, the present Chief Minister of Kerala.

The mortal remains of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan will be taken to the CPI(M) District Committee office on Monday morning and people can pay their fina; respects to the departed leader from 10 am at the party district committee office. The funeral of the late leader will take place at the Payyambalam beach at 3 pm on Monday.

Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has been a five-term MLA from Thalassery since 1982 and has been the state Home and Tourism Minister in the VS Achuthanandan Cabinet. At the time of his death, he was a Politburo member of CPI(M), which is the highest decision-making body in the party.