CPI Kerala secretary Kanam Rajendran passes away at 73

Kerala state secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI) Kanam Rajendran passed away in Kochi on Friday. He was 73.

Rajendran was under treatment for some time for acute diabetes and one of his feet had to be amputated recently due to severe infection. His death occured after he suffered a cardiac arrest on Friday afternoon.

Rajendran has been serving as CPI state secretary since 2015. Owing to bad health, the party recently advised him to share his party responsibilities with two assistant secretaries. Rajendran had also sought three months’ leave, citing health reasons.

A native of Kerala’s Kottayam district, Rajendran was elected two times as the MLA of Vazhoor in Kottayam — in 1982 and 1987.

Kanam entered politics through youth movements of the communist party and became a popular trade union leader. He became CPI state council member at the age of 21 and became state secretariat member at the age of 26. He was serving as the CPI state secretary for the third consecutive term.

His mortal remains will be brought to Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday and the funeral will be held at his native place in Kottayam on Sunday. Kanam leaves behind wife Vanaja, son Sandeep and daughter Smitha.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI general secretary D Raja and CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury condoled the demise of Rajendran.