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Kodiyeri Balakrishan: A Communist who faced issues with a smile
Former CPI(M) Kerala secretary, Kodiyeri Balakrishna died in a private hospital in Chennai on Saturday after a prolonged battle with cancer
In the passing away of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan (69), Kerala has lost a tall leader and a comrade with his trademark smile; and for the Communist Party of India (Marxist) a mass leader and an ace organiser.
A copy book Communist, often considered an alter ego of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, even at the peak of the factional feud in the state unit he remained as a bridge between two warring leaders, V S Acthuthanandan and Pinarayi Vijayan, but never crossed the party line. His political diplomacy, astute analytical mind, pleasant approach and ability to make decisions acceptable to all came in handy for the party on many occasions.
Died in a private hospital in Chennai on Saturday after a prolonged battle with cancer his body was brought to Kannur airport in north Kerala in an air ambulance Sunday afternoon. Thousands of people lined up on both sides of the road as the body was taken to his village in Kodiyeri and the town hall in Thalassery. The funeral will be held at Payambalam beach in Kannur at 3pm on Monday, said party state secretary M V Govindan.
Rose from the ranks, he remained as a colossus in state politics for more than five decades. Born in 1953 in a traditional Congress family, his father Kunhunni Kurup was a staunch Congress worker. The Communist ideology attracted Balakrishnan at a young age. Started his career with the Students Federation of India (SFI) he became a party member at a young age of 17. As SFI state secretary he was jailed 16 months in 1975 during the Emergency under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act. He came in contact with his mentor Pinarayi Vijayan during this time as both were lodged in the same jail.
He was elected to the state assembly from Thalassery five times- 1982, 1987, 2001, 2006 and 2011. He was home and tourism minister in the V S Achuthanandan government in 2006-2011. In 2008, he became a member of the CPI(M) Politburo and in 2015 he was elected as the state secretary and got re-elected in 2018. In August 2022, the party allowed him to leave the post due to his ill-health and M V Govindan became the secretary.
Usually, the party never tolerates serious charges against family members of important functionaries but Balakrishnan was given a long rope. When his elder son faced a sexual assault and paternity suit and second one was jailed in a money-laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), he was ready to quit but the party defended him saying a father cannot be hauled up for children’s wrong doings, if any. That was the trust and faith he enjoyed in the organisation and he kept it till his last. “As the CPI(M) secretary, neither I, nor my party, will protect him. He is an adult and he is responsible for his actions,” he said when his youngest son Bineesh Kodiyeri was arrested by ED.
“He was my real brother and difficult to believe he is not in our midst. He faced his disease as well as political challenges with equal valour. He will live in our hearts forever,“ said the chief minister who was at the Kannur airport to receive his body. “His calm, friendly nature and unwavering commitment to ensuring people’s welfare endeared him to everyone,” said governor Arif Mohammad Khan. “It is a huge loss to the CPI (M) and Kerala,” said former chief minister and defence minister A K Antony. “He was an unyielding personality and a role model,” said Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin in his condolence message.
