May
19,
2004
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has adopted the following condolence resolution:
Homage to E.K. Nayanar
The
Polit
Bureau
of
the
CPI(M)
is
deeply
grieved
at
the
passing
away
of
Comrade
E.K.Nayanar.
Nayanar
was
a
prominent
leader
of
the
CPI(M),
beloved
leader
of
the
people
in
Kerala
and
a
dedicated
revolutionary.
He
was
ill
and
hospitalized
for
some
time
in
Delhi
before
he
died
on
May
19,
2004.
He
was
85
years
old.
Nayanar
belonged
to
that
generation
of
Communist
leaders
who
got
drawn
into
the
freedom
struggle
at
a
young
age.
He
belonged
to
a
family
of
freedom
fighters
and
revolutionaries.
One
of
his
cousins
was
KPR
Gopalan,
one
of
the
prominent
Communist
revolutionaries.
He
joined
the
Balasangham
as
a
young
boy.
His
participation
in
the
anti-imperialist
movement
began
in
North
Malabar.
He
was
jailed
for
the
first
time
in
1940.
He
had
go
underground
after
participation
in
the
Morazha
and
Kayyur
struggles
which
were
part
of
the
peasant
upsurge
in
Malabar.
Altogether
in
his
revolutionary
career,
he
spent
11
years
underground
and
4
years
in
jail.
Nayanar
joined
the
Communist
Party
in
1939.
He
became
an
activist
of
the
kisan
movement
and
organiser
for
the
Party.
He
was
the
secretary
of
Kozhikode
district
committee
of
the
united
CPI
from
1956
to
l964.
After
the
formation
of
the
CPI(M)
he
continued
to
be
the
secretary
of
the
Kozhikode
district
committee
from
l964
to
l967.
Nayanar
was
imbued
with
the
Marxist
outlook
and
would
not
compromise
with
any
deviations
to
Marxist-Leninist
principles.
He
played
an
important
role
in
the
fight
against
revisionism.
He
was
one
of
the
32
National
Council
members
who
left
the
CPI
to
form
the
CPI(M).
He
was
a
member
of
the
Central
Committee
of
the
CPI(M)
from
the
7th
Congress
in
1964.
He
was
elected
to
the
Polit
Bureau
at
the
14th
Congress
in
1992.
He
served
as
the
Secretary
of
the
Kerala
State
Committee
of
the
CPI(M)
from
1972
to
1980
and
again
from
1992
to
1996.
In
all
these
positions,
he
played
a
notable
role
in
building
the
Party
and
expanding
its
mass
influence.
E.K.Nayanar
began
his
legislative
career
in
1974.
He
was
elected
to
the
Kerala
assembly
six
times.
He
served
as
the
Chief
Minister
three
times,
the
last
term
being
from
1996
to
2001.
He
was
the
longest
serving
Chief
Minister
in
Kerala
for
a
total
of
11
years.
Nayanar
was
a
popular
speaker
who
could
convey
the
Party’s
message
in
a
manner
which
could
be
understood
by
people
at
all
levels.
He
was
a
man
with
an
earthy
sense
of
humour
which
endeared
him
to
the
people.
He
was
a
capable
journalist
having
edited
the
Deshabhimani
daily
and
written
innumerable
articles
in
regular
columns.
As
a
Communist
leader,
Nayanar
was
above
all
a
man
of
the
people.
His
forte
was
to
be
with
the
people
and
to
communicate
with
them.
He
was
one
of
the
leaders
in
Kerala
most
liked
by
the
ordinary
people.
In
the
Party,
Nayanar
was
known
for
his
warmth
and
friendliness
to
all
the
cadres
and
members.
Along
with
leaders
like
A.K.Gopalan,
EMS
Namboodiripad
and
C.H.Kanaran,
Nayanar
will
be
remembered
for
his
immense
contribution
to
the
Communist
movement
in
Kerala.
In
his
death,
the
CPI(M)
and
the
Left
movement
have
lost
an
experienced
mass
leader
and
dedicated
Marxist.
The
Polit
Bureau
pays
homage
to
this
indomitable
leader
and
beloved
colleague.
It
offers
heartfelt
condolences
to
his
wife
Sharada
teacher,
his
two
sons,
two
daughters
and
other
family
members.