Thiruvananthapuram, July 22 (IANS) The CPI(M) in Kerala is preparing to give a befitting farewell to one of the country’s tallest and oldest Communist leaders, V.S. Achuthanandan, who passed away at a private hospital here on July 21. He was 101.

On Tuesday morning, the body of former Chief Minister VS, as he is popularly known, was taken from his son’s house here to the palatial Durbar Hall in the heart of the State Secretariat — the seat of the government which he headed from 2006 to 2011.

The state government has declared a three-day state mourning till July 24. An official statement said that all offices, educational institutions, autonomous institutions, statutory bodies, public sector undertakings, and all establishments under the Negotiable Instruments Act will remain closed on Tuesday. The National Flag will be flown at half mast on all government buildings in Kerala for the period of mourning.

The last rites will be conducted at VS’s home town, Alappuzha, on Wednesday, and a public holiday has been declared in the district.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was the first to lay the wreath on the coffin of his long-time colleague with whom he had a love-hate relationship.

All the top national leaders of the CPI(M), including General Secretary M.A.Baby — who was the Education Minister in VS’s cabinet, former General Secretary Prakash Karat, Brinda Karat and a host of leaders also paid their last respects.

Outside the hall were queues as a large number of people were standing since early morning.

Irrespective of the age of those standing in the queue to have one last glimpse, all had only one statement to make: there will be none like VS again, and it is an irreparable loss to Kerala.

Speaking to IANS, State Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian said he arrived very late last night as he was making the final arrangements in Alappuzha.

“Alappuzha is also my home district, and hence I am entrusted to oversee everything. It was earlier planned to have the public reception at the Town Hall, but seeing that it might not be enough, we have decided to erect a pandal on the seashore,” said Cherian.

“As per the plans, by around 2 p.m., the hearse with VS will start to Alappuzha, and we expect it to reach by around 7 p.m. It will be kept at our party office and also at his home. On Wednesday, the body will be taken to the seashore and from there for his last journey to the cremation ground at Valiyachudukad. We expect that around 4 p.m. the pyre will be lit,” added Cherian.

Achuthanandan was the last surviving member among the founding leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which was formed in 1964 following a split from the CPI.

He, along with a group of comrades, had then walked out of the original Communist Party of India, marking a historic ideological shift.

He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

–IANS

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