The mortal remains of CPI-M former Kerala secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, who died at Apollo hospital in Chennai on Saturday, were consigned to flames at Payyambalam beach in Kannur on Monday afternoon.

Thousands of party workers and leaders including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, Polit Bureau member Prakash Karat and MA Baby bid an emotional goodbye to the veteran CPI-M leader. The funeral pyre was jointly lit by Kodiyeri Balakrishnan’s sons Binoy and Bineesh.

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He was laid to rest with full state honours. Thousands raised slogans like ‘Kodiyeri is immortal,’ ‘Lal Salam,’ and ‘No, Kodiyeri is not dead, he will never die,’ ‘Kodiyeri will live through us forever,’ as the body was placed on the funeral pyre. He was laid to rest in the middle of the tombs of former Chief Minister EK Nayanar and former CPI-M state secretary Chadayan Govindan.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury were among those who carried the mortal remains to the pyre on their shoulders. CM Vijayan, party state secretary MV Govindan, MA Baby, KK Shailaja, PK Sreemathy and others walked a 3.5-km stretch funeral procession, which started from CPI-M Kannur District Office where his body was kept earlier.

Earlier on the day, Governor Arif Muhammad Khan, Opposition Leader VD Satheesan, and KPCC chief K Sudhakaran paid their last respects to the departed leader.

Kodiyeri’s mortal remains were brought to Thalassery from Chennai on Sunday. His mortal remains were placed in Thalassery town hall, his residence and CPI-M Kannur District Committee office for the public to pay their last respects.

CPI-M former Kerala Secretary and Politburo Member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan passed away on Saturday while undergoing treatment for cancer at Chennai Apollo hospital at the age of 69. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2019 during a routine diabetic check. Later, he had undergone treatment at Anderson Cancer Centre in Houston, the US, for advanced treatment.

A five-time MLA, Kodiyeri has also served as the State Home Minister from 2006 to 2011. A three-time CPI-M State Secretary, he served as the state secretary till the last week of August this year.