Chennai: Freedom fighter and CPI(M) stalwart N Sankaraiah turned 100 on Thursday.
Tamilnadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, accompanied by DMK Ministers and MPs drove down to the residence of Sankaraiah at Chrompet and personally greeted him by presenting him a shawl.
Leaders of various political parties, cutting across party lines, including MDMK general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Vaiko, leaders of VCK, CPI and CPI(M) made a beeline to Sankaraiah’s residence to extend their greetings.
Earlier, CPI(M) National secretary Sitaram Yechury hoisted the party flag in front of Sankaraiah’s house to mark the occasion and saluted him.
Senior leaders of both the left parties like D Raja, CPI(M) State secretary K Balakrishnan, CPI State secretary R Mutharasan, CPI veteran R Nallakananu and others also personally greeted him on the occasion.
Various welfare programmes, including planting of tree saplings, were organised by the party to mark the occasion.
Sankaraiah joined the Communist movement at a very young age and participated in the Freedom movement and was jailed for a few years.
When the party split in 1964, Sankaraiah joined the CPI(M) and was elected to its central committee. He was one of the founding members of he party. He was also made the State secretary of the CPI(M) from 1995 to 2002.
Sankaraiah was thrice elected to the Tamilnadu Assembly in 1967, 1977 and 1980.