'Comrade VS', Kerala's Grand Old Communist Leader, Dies At 101

Former Kerala Chief Minister and the icon of Communist movement VS Achuthanandan died on Monday, after a long hospitalisation. The 101-year-old was admitted to a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on June 23 after he suffered a cardiac arrest at home. He had been on ventilator support in the intensive care unit since.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPM state secretary MV Govindan have rushed to the hospital to meet the family. A steady stream of political leaders are already making a beeline for the hospital to pay their respects.

A lifelong fighter for the rights of disadvantaged sections and a towering presence in state politics, Achuthanandan had withdrawn from public life after he suffered a minor stroke in 2019. 

In January 2021, he had quit as the Chairman of the Administrative Reforms Committee and had been staying alternately with his son or daughter in Thiruvananthapuram since. 

A founder leader of CPM after the split in undivided party in 1964, Achuthanandan's populist stance and uncompromising image winning him admiration across party lines.

He had been the Leader of the Opposition from 2001 to 2006, when he had spearheaded the attack on the UDF government led by AK Antony. In 2006, he led the CPM-led Left Democratic Front to victory and served as Chief Minister till 2011. 

In 2011, he crafted the LDF campaign and leading from the front, came close to securing a second term, but the Oommen Chandy-led UDF had managed a narrow victory, securing 72 of the 140 seats in the state Assembly.

The veteran leader was no stranger to controversies - his frequent clashes with rival Pinarayi Vijayan often generating headlines.

He had ascribed his removal from the party politburo to his open comments against Mr Vijayan and months later, on his 90th birthday, made a series of stronger remarks.  

In 2013, he had told reporters that he was removed from the politburo for telling the truth about a corruption case in which Pinarayi Vijayan was facing inquiry.  He said he had told his party that he could only stand by the truth in the matter and not by the official line of the party that it was a fabricated case.