CHENNAI: CPM politburo and former party state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan died in Chennai on Saturday.

He was diagnosed with cancer and had been under treatment at Apollo Hospital since August 28.

“Paid my last respects to @cpimspeak Polit Bureau Member and 3 time Kerala State Secy Thiru. Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.

Com. Kodiyeri was an unyielding personality and was even jailed under MISA during the Emergency in 1975.

My heartfelt condolences to his family & CPI(M) comrades,” Stalin tweeted.

Balakrishnan, a prominent CPM leader from Kerala, had stepped down as party state secretary in the last week of August on account of poor health. Balakrishnan, who had served as home minister in the V S Achuthanandan government from 2006 to 2011, had become party state secretary in 2015.

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