Leading The Ideological Charge | Sitaram Yechury's Life In Pictures

Yechury was a man of clear ideological standing who also built a personal rapport with most political leaders

Updated on: 13 September 2024 8:55 am

JNU student leader Sitaram Yechury reading a memorandum against Indira Gandhi, as she watches.

The iconic September 1977 photo of JNU student leader Sitaram Yechuri with then chancellor Indira Gandhi

During his tenure as the JNU Student Union president, Sitaram Yechury led protests against Indira Gandhi, who had held on to the post of chancellor of the university despite losing the elections in 1977 after the Emergency period.

N Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh with Harkishan Singh Surjit, Sitaram Yechury

Sitaram Yechury was a key figure in the formation of the United Front government by the Leftist and socialist parties in 1996.

CPI M leader Sitaram Yechury during farmers protest march at Azad Maidan on March 12, 2018 in Mumbai.

During the farmers protests in 2018, Sitaram Yechury was a major presence, targeting the Central government over anti-farmer policies.

Politburo member Sitaram Yechury with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharje

Politburo member of Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) Sitaram Yechury with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee

Sitaram Yechury became a CPI-M Politburo member in 1992, when the Communist movement was facing a crisis with the fall of the soviet bloc. Yechury played a major role in shaping ideological and tactical position both within and outside the party during his time in leadership.

CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury march against the BJP

CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury, Communist Party of India MP D. Raja and CPI (M) leader Brinda Karat along with other leaders march against the BJP

Yechury's clear understanding that without creating a broad coalition of Left and democratic forces, the onslaught of Hindutva cannot be resisted, led him and CPI(M) to play an active role in bringing very divergent political formations on to the single platform that id the INDIA bloc.

Sitaram Yechury with RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav and CPI leader AB Bardhan

The personal rapport that Yechury built with most political leaders helped him to iron out differences while pulling together various coalitions over the years.