VS Achuthanandan, one of Kerala’s iconic political figures and the last surviving leader from the group that formed the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in 1964, passed away at a private hospital in the state capital. He was 101.
Achuthanandan had been under treatment following a cardiac arrest on June 23. He had earlier been paralysed due to a stroke suffered in 2019. His health had been on the decline since.
Born on October 20, 1923, in Alappuzha district, VS—as he was popularly known—came from humble beginnings. He lost his mother at the age of four and left school early to support his family, first assisting his brother at a tailoring shop, then working in a coir factory.
His entry into politics came in 1938, influenced by communist leader P Krishna Pillai. He began as a trade union organiser, mobilising agricultural workers in the Kuttanadu region. His early political activism got him involved with the Travancore State Congress, before he joined the Communist Party in 1940.
VS’s political career was shaped by the turbulence of the times. He was part of India’s freedom movement and paid a heavy price for it. He was imprisoned multiple times, spending over five years in jail and another four underground. One of the darkest episodes in his life was when the police allegedly pierced his feet with a bayonet during custody in Poonjar.
Despite setbacks, he rose steadily through the ranks. By 1957, he had become a member of the undivided Communist Party’s state secretariat. When the party split in 1964, he was one of the 32 leaders who walked out of the CPI national council to form CPI(M), a historic moment in Indian Left politics.
Between 1980 and 1992, he served as CPI(M)’s state secretary. His tenure was marked by fierce ideological battles and uncompromising stands on policy issues. He was inducted into the party's Politburo in 1985 and remained a member for almost 25 years until 2009, when he was dropped during his tenure as Kerala’s Chief Minister.
His political journey was deeply rooted in Kerala’s land reform history. He led several agitations, most notably the Alappuzha declaration in 1970 that demanded full implementation of land reforms passed by the EMS government. These movements cemented his image as a leader committed to the working class and the marginalised.
His later years were quieter, especially after stepping down due to health reasons. Yet, VS remained a towering presence in Kerala’s collective memory, often quoted, sometimes criticised, but never forgotten.
