CPI Stalwart Nallakannu Dead, CM Stalin Announces Full State Honours For Funeral
A Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital bulletin said that despite intensive care, Nallakannu passed away at 1.55 PM on February 25, 2026, following failure of all vital organs
Chief Minister M K Stalin announced full state honours at his funeral on Thursday in recognition of his service to the nation and the State as a freedom fighter, social activist and political leader, who was known for his simplicity, integrity and honesty.
Nallakannu had earned the goodwill of leaders across the political spectrum, which was evident from the condolences that poured in from all over the country, during a career spanning several decades that saw him leading the CPI in the State as its secretary from 1992 to 2005 and spearheading agitations and going to jail for that
A winner of the Thagaisal Tamilar (Distinguished Tamilian) Award given by the State government in 2022, he had received several such honours, visited countries like China and Germany, held many responsible positions as a farmers’ leader and fought against caste discrimination and illegal sand mining in the Thamirabarani river bed.
Born in 1925as the third child in a wealthy agricultural family of 10 children in Srivaikuntam in the undivided Tirunelveli district, he started his political career as a freedom fighter and then joined the Communist movement. He played crucial roles in the 1996 Assembly elections that saw the Congress splitting in the State to give rise to the Tamil Manila Congress that aligned with the DMK and Communist parties.
He had been opposing the Hindutva forces since 1982 when the infamous Meenakshipuram incident gave the communal forces an opportunity to try their hands on inciting riots and remained an adherent to secularism and anti-caste politics. In the 1993 to 98 period when caste conflagrations raged across the State, Nallakannu, in association with Kundrakudi Adigalar, worked for communal amity and peace among communities.
His wife Ranjitham, a retired government school teacher, predeceased him in 2016 and he is survived by two daughters and grandchildren, besides the party workers of the CPI and many social activists who were inspired by him.
The body would be kept for public homage at the CPI State headquarters, Balan Illam, in T Nagar till 5 pm on Thursday and then taken on a procession to the Madras Medical College hospital for donating to scientific medical research.
Besides leaders of all political parties in the State, several common people expressed their condolences to the Communist leader who was seen as a role model for all politicians through social media posts.