Thiruvananthapuram: V.S. Achuthanandan, the towering figure of Kerala’s Left politics and a revered people’s leader, passed away at the age of 102. A key architect of modern Kerala’s political landscape, his death marks the end of a generation — the last surviving founding leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
Achuthanandan breathed his last at 3:20 PM at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, where he had been undergoing treatment following a heart attack on June 23. His condition had remained critical for weeks, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI(M) State Secretary M.V. Govindan visiting him during his final days.
A symbol of uncompromising political integrity and grassroots activism, Achuthanandan was often called the “voice of the common man.” His political journey spanned over eight decades — from the pre-Independence freedom movement to leading Kerala as Chief Minister (2006–2011) and serving as Opposition Leader and legislator in multiple terms.
Born on October 20, 1923, in Punnapra, Alappuzha district, to Shankaran and Akkamma, Achuthanandan’s early life was marked by poverty and hardship. Orphaned by age 11, he began working in his brother’s tailoring shop and later as a worker in the Aspinwall Coir Factory. V.S joined the State Congress in 1939, participating in the freedom struggle, and became a member of the Communist Party in 1940 at just 17.
V.S played a pivotal role in the formation of the CPI(M) after the party split in 1964. Of the 32 leaders who walked out of the National Council to form the new party, Achuthanandan was the last surviving member from Kerala. Over the decades, he rose to become State Secretary of the CPI(M) and a Politburo member, dedicating his life to organizing coir workers, agricultural laborers, and leading protests like the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising.
V.S fiery speeches, unwavering opposition to corruption, and relentless environmental and human rights advocacy made him a beloved figure across political divides. Whether it was standing with marginalized communities or challenging powerful interests, V.S. remained a tireless crusader for justice.
V.S death is not only a great loss for the Left movement and the Communist Party, but for the entire state of Kerala, which remembers him as a steadfast, sincere, and selfless leader who stood with the people till his last breath.
