Former Kerala Chief Minister and veteran Communist leader VS Achuthanandan passed away on Monday at the age of 101. The widely respected leader was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram after suffering a cardiac arrest at home on June 23. He had remained on ventilator support in the ICU since his admission.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPM state secretary MV Govindan rushed to the hospital to be with the family. A steady stream of political figures from across parties also visited the hospital to pay their respects to the departed leader.
Achuthanandan, who began his political journey as a founding member of the CPM following the party’s split in 1964, remained a prominent figure in Kerala politics for decades. Known for his populist approach and steadfast integrity, he earned admiration across party lines.
He served as Leader of the Opposition from 2001 to 2006, during which he led a strong campaign against the UDF government led by AK Antony. In 2006, Achuthanandan led the Left Democratic Front (LDF) to a notable victory and served as Chief Minister until 2011.
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He was instrumental in the LDF’s campaign for the 2011 Assembly elections, nearly securing a second term. However, the UDF, under Oommen Chandy, narrowly clinched victory with 72 out of 140 seats.
Following a minor stroke in 2019, Achuthanandan gradually withdrew from public life. He resigned as Chairman of the Administrative Reforms Committee in January 2021 and had since been living with his son and daughter in Thiruvananthapuram.
Known for Straight Talk and Fierce Integrity
Achuthanandan’s political life was marked by principled stances and frequent run-ins with his own party leadership. His clashes with Pinarayi Vijayan were well known, and he had attributed his removal from the CPM politburo to his outspoken comments on a corruption case involving Mr Vijayan.
In 2013, Achuthanandan had said, “I was removed from the politburo for telling the truth about a corruption case in which Pinarayi Vijayan was facing inquiry.” He had told his party leadership that he could not support the official line that the case was fabricated.
A lifelong champion of marginalised communities, Achuthanandan leaves behind a political legacy rooted in uncompromising values and mass appeal.
