Former Kerala chief minister and Communist Leader V.S. Achuthanandan Passes Away at 101

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM July 21: Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan, a towering figure in Kerala politics and a founding member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), passed away on Monday at a hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. He was 101.

Popularly known as Comrade VS or simply VS, the former Kerala Chief Minister had been away from public life since 2019 after suffering a stroke. He was admitted to the hospital a month ago following a cardiac arrest and had been on life support since.

Achuthanandan’s political life spanned over eight decades, making him one of the last surviving links to the formation of the CPI(M) in 1964, when he, along with 31 others, walked out of the undivided Communist Party of India over ideological differences.

He served as Chief Minister of Kerala from 2006 to 2011 and was the Leader of the Opposition for three terms—1991–96, 2001–06, and 2011–16. His legacy is defined by an unyielding spirit and fierce commitment to social justice, often positioning him as the conscience keeper of the state’s Left movement.

Born on October 20, 1923, in Punnapra village, Alappuzha, Achuthanandan lost both parents early in life. He dropped out of school after Class 7 and began working in his brother’s tailoring shop, where political discussions shaped his early worldview. He joined the Travancore State Congress and later the undivided Communist Party at the age of 17.

His political journey gained momentum in 1940 when he joined a coir factory in Alappuzha and was mentored by Communist stalwart P. Krishna Pillai. VS played a key role in organizing workers and later in mobilizing the coir sector during the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising of 1946 against Travancore Diwan C.P. Ramaswami Iyer’s push for an independent state.

Forced into hiding during the uprising, VS was eventually captured and tortured by police. He spent nearly five years in prison during and after India’s independence struggle. By the 1950s, he had risen to the CPI State Committee and Secretariat.

In the first Communist government of 1957, VS played a crucial organizational role, winning 9 of 11 seats in Kollam district. After the party split in 1964, he became a core member of the CPI(M), alongside leaders like E.M.S. Namboodiripad and Jyoti Basu.

His electoral debut came in 1965, though he lost. He won from Ambalapuzha in 1967 and 1970 but was jailed during the Emergency for 21 months. As CPI(M) state secretary from 1980 to 1992, he steered the party through coalition politics and internal rifts, including the expulsion of leaders like M.V. Raghavan and K.R. Gouri Amma.

VS returned as Opposition Leader in 1991 but faced setbacks within the party and lost his stronghold seat of Mararikulam in 1996. Despite internal power struggles—most notably with Pinarayi Vijayan—VS remained popular among the masses.

Between 2001 and 2006, his transformation from a hardline Communist to a people’s leader was complete. He became a vocal advocate for environmental causes, public interest litigation, and anti-corruption efforts, earning admiration beyond party lines.

He led the CPI(M)-headed Left Democratic Front to a resounding win in 2006 and became Chief Minister at the age of 82. His term was marked by internal dissent but also bold stands on social issues. Though the LDF narrowly lost in 2011, VS remained a key political figure and again led the 2016 campaign at the age of 92.

Despite his aspirations for a second term as CM, the party chose Pinarayi Vijayan in 2016. VS was appointed Chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission with Cabinet rank, a position he held until 2021.

Representing Malampuzha in the Assembly from 2001 to 2021, Achuthanandan remained active in legislative affairs until illness forced him to withdraw in 2019.

A life forged in struggle and defined by ideological commitment, VS leaves behind a legacy that will remain integral to the political history of Kerala and India’s Left movement.