Veteran CPI(M) leader Syedalikutty dead

Veteran CPI(M) leader K Syedalikutty died of old age related ailments near hear today, family sources said.

Syedalikutty, 84, is survived by his wife, three sons and five daughters.

Syedalikutty had been keeping indifferent health for the past few weeks, and the end came at the EMS Memorial Hospital at Perinthalmanna near here this morning.

Chief minister VS Achuthanandan and CPI(M)'s Kerala secretary Pinarayi Vijayan have condoled the death.

Attracted towards Communist and progressive ideals right from his student days, Syedalikutty became member of the Communist Party in the erstwhile Ernad Taluk in 1944.

He was elected CPI(M)'s Kozhikode district secretary in 1964, and remained as state committee member and Malappuram district committee member for over two decades ever since the new district came into being in 1970.

Syedalikutty relinquished his party posts last year owing to indifferent health.

Although he had contested thrice as CPI(M) nominee in the assembly elections, he was trounced by the Indian Union Muslim League, which has sizeable support base in the district.

Hundreds of party followers paid floral tributes to the Communist leader.