Veliyam Bhargavan, former state secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI) and one of the tallest leaders of the Left movement, died here on Wednesday. He was 85.
Bhargavan, who had been suffering from age-related illnesses, was admitted to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital with respiratory problems on Tuesday morning. He died at 1.20 pm following a cardiac arrest, the CPI leadership said in a statement. Bhargavan leaves behind wife Suneethi and daughter Manju. Manju and CPI leaders were at his bedside during the final moments.
The mortal remains were taken to Bhargavan's residence at Pattom by 2.30 pm. The body will be kept at MN Smarakam, the CPI state HQ, from 8 am on Thursday for the public and party workers to pay last respects. The cremation will be held at Santhikavadam, Thycaud, at 4 pm with State honours.
Fondly called 'Asan' by party colleagues, Bhargavan, who led the state unit for 12 years from 1998 to 2010, was known for his strong stands and as one of the leaders who rebuilt the party after the 1964 Communist Party split.
Born at Veliyam in Kollam district in 1928, Bhargavan entered politics during his college days at SN College, Kollam.
He was arrested when the Communist Party was banned in 1948. He was arrested again and became a victim of police brutality for taking part in the infamous transport strike of 1954.
Bhargavan was elected to the Kerala Assembly twice - in 1957 to the first Kerala Assembly, and in 1960 - from Chadayamangalam. After the split in the Communist Party in 1964, he shunned electoral politics and focused on party building. Bhargavan was a state council member of the party then.
''An outspoken leader, Bhargavan had chosen to remain on the organisational front during most of his decades-long public life,'' the CPI central leadership said in a condolence message. He became a member of the CPI national executive in 1971. For several years, he served as state assistant secretary and in 1998 succeeded P K Vasudevan Nair as the state secretary. He went on to hold that post for 12 years, four terms in all.
He stepped down in 2010, citing deteriorating health. Of late, Bhargavan had been leading a retired life at Pattom.
''Bhargavan's death has left a vacuum in Kerala politics,'' Opposition Leader and senior CPM leader V S Achuthanandan said. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Union Minister for state for Civil Aviation K C Venugopal, Speaker G Karthikeyan, V S Achuthanandan, ministers and hundreds of party workers visited the Medical College Hospital and Bhargavan's residence at Pattom to pay their respects.