Charms of an ideologue

Sitaram Yechury gave the left much larger visibility than what was warranted by its strength

- DR T.M. THOMAS ISAAC

SITARAM YECHURY CHOSE to depart at the most inopportune moment, not just for the CPI(M) but for all secular political forces in India. The BJP is on the back foot and the unity of opposition forces is important to take the project —to unseat the saffron party—to its logical conclusion. Yechury, whose role in forging such an understanding has been hailed by everyone, would be sorely missed.

Yechury came to the limelight during the emergency days. It did not take long before he caught the attention of veteran leaders like E.M.S. Namboodiripad and P. Sundarayya. He was mentored to be an ideologue and he gave a superlative performance at the 14th congress of the CPI(M) (Madras, 1992), while presenting the document on ideological questions that had cropped up after the collapse of the Soviet Union.