CPI (M) state secretariat member and former MLA VV Dakshinamoorthy passed away on Wednesday in Kozhikode.

The 82-year-old leader breathed his last at the district cooperative hospital where he had been reportedly undergoing treatment for lung cancer.

Dakshinamoorthy, who had served as the editor of CPI(M) mouthpiece ‘Deshabhimani’, is survived by his wife and three children.

Born in Perambra in Kozhikode district, he was elected to the state assembly thrice from Perambra constituency.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote on Facebook that the leader’s death is a grave loss to the society, and especially to the communist movement.

Saying that the leader had proved his merit as an editor, orator and trade union leader, Pinarayi said that Dakshinamoorthy was a staunch communist all his life.

Expressing his condolences, Pinarayi said that he recalls working with the leader for decades together.