New Delhi | CPI(M) leaders paid floral tributes to former party general secretary Sitaram Yechury on his first death anniversary on Friday.

CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby, former general secretary Prakash Karat, and senior leaders Brinda Karat and Hannan Mollah were among those present.

"We still cannot believe that Sitaram left us a year ago. The present political scenario tells us how important his presence would have been," Baby said after paying tributes to the Marxist leader.

"Sitaram's exemplary leadership in forming CPI(M)'s ideological, political and organisational front is known to everyone. It has been beneficial for the country as well. His contribution in formulating the ideological and political base of the fight against a situation where fascistic RSS controls the country's administration is well known," he told the media.

"Sitaram was instrumental in developing CPI(M)'s views on this and explaining it to people across the country. At the condolence meeting last year, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi recalled the role played by Sitaram in the formation of the INDIA bloc. He creatively implemented the CPI(M) position on unitedly fighting the RSS-BJP," Baby said.

"This is a time when the government is surrendering India's foreign policy to the US and Israel. India has not condemned the Israeli strike in Qatar. While we formulate our position, we remember how Sitaram would have responded to such a situation," he added.

Sitaram Yechury, the fifth general secretary of CPI(M), passed away on September 12 last year after prolonged illness at Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences at the age of 72.

One of the most recognised faces of the Left in India, he had played a key role in the formation of the opposition's INDIA bloc.