Thiruvananthapuram, July 21 (IANS) One of India’s tallest and oldest living Communist leaders, V.S. Achuthanandan, passed away at a private hospital here on Monday at 3.20 p.m. He was 101.

Affectionately known as “VS” by friends and adversaries alike, 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.

CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan, addressing the media after the announcement of his death, outlined the funeral plans.

“The body will be moved to the AKG Centre shortly, which was his political base for decades. It will then be taken to his residence in Thiruvananthapuram. On Tuesday morning, the body will be placed at the Secretariat Durbar Hall for the public to pay their respects. Later in the afternoon, it will be transported to his hometown in Alappuzha,” he said.

“On Wednesday, the mortal remains will be kept at the CPI(M) district office in Alappuzha, and the funeral will be held at the Valiyachudukad cremation ground,” he added.

Following the announcement of his death, CPI(M) party flags across the state were lowered to half-mast, and black flags were raised in mourning.

Born on October 20, 1923, in Punnapra, Alappuzha, Achuthanandan lost his parents at a young age and dropped out of school in Class 7.

Despite limited formal education, he rose through the ranks of the Communist movement — from a tailoring apprentice and a trade union activist to becoming Kerala’s Chief Minister and one of its most enduring political icons.

His political journey gained momentum during the 1946 Punnapra-Vayalar uprising against the then Travancore Diwan, Sir C.P. Ramaswami Iyer. His arrest during this period only strengthened his public appeal.

He went on to serve as Alappuzha district secretary, and by 1957, had become a member of the CPI(M)’s state committee and secretariat.

Achuthanandan contested his first election in 1965 but lost. He tasted victory two years later. However, a major turning point in his career came in 1996 when, despite being the CPI(M)’s projected Chief Ministerial face, he was denied the position following an unexpected defeat.

His popularity soared when he served as Leader of the Opposition from 2001 to 2006. Known for his uncompromising stands on corruption, women’s rights, and public welfare, he emerged as a mass leader, transcending party lines.

But tensions with Pinarayi Vijayan, then state party secretary and now Chief Minister, cast a shadow on his political trajectory.

In 2006, when the party initially denied him a ticket, statewide protests erupted. Bowing to public pressure, the CPI(M) reinstated him as a candidate. He led the Left Democratic Front to victory and assumed office as Chief Minister.

However, the friction between VS and Vijayan continued. Both were suspended from the CPI(M) Politburo during their tenure. Vijayan was later reinstated, but Achuthanandan was not.

In 2011, a similar outpouring of support from party workers ensured his candidature, and he returned as Leader of the Opposition. Although he led the LDF’s campaign in the 2016 Assembly polls, the party chose Vijayan to head the government after their victory.

As a conciliatory gesture, the Politburo appointed Achuthanandan as Chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission with cabinet rank. He held the post until January 2020, after which he retired from active public life due to health issues.

Chief Minister Vijayan, who remains at the hospital, is expected to accompany Achuthanandan’s body to the AKG Centre.

Condolences have been pouring in from across the political spectrum, with leaders remembering VS as a principled, unwavering, and immensely popular figure — a rare breed of politician who remained a people’s man to the very end.

–IANS

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