V S Achuthanandan: The defeat that shaped a mass leader

New Indian Express

22-07-2025

ALAPPUZHA: In the political history of Kerala, the defeat of veteran communist leader V S Achuthanandan in the 1996 assembly election is written in black letters. Once considered a CPM's chief ministerial candidate, VS' unexpected loss in Mararikulam constituency became a turning point, not just in his career, but also in his personal life.
VS was defeated by Congress candidate P J Francis by a slender margin of 1,965 votes, a result that sent shockwaves through Kerala's political circles. It was more than just a surprise loss, it was the fallout of a bitter factional feud that had gripped the CPM at the time. On one side stood the CITU-backed lobby led by then Chief Minister E K Nayanar, and on the other, the Kerala State Karshaka Thozhilali Union (KSKTU)-led faction under VS himself. The internal rift ran deep, and it played out publicly in the polls. In Mararikulam, considered a fortress of the left, cross-voting by disillusioned party workers, particularly those aligned the with CITU, sealed his defeat.
Ironically, even Francis never imagined he would win. In an interview given to this paper years later, Francis recalled how reluctant he had been to contest. 'No one in the Congress wanted to stand against Achuthanandan,' he said. 'It was A K Antony who compelled me to contest. I had already lost twice before – to K R Gouri in Aroor. Mararikulam was a communist stronghold. I never thought I would win.'
A soft-spoken politician from Convent Square in Alappuzha, Francis passed away last month, but his unexpected triumph over a communist giant sealed his legacy – as one etched in Kerala's political history. The 1996 defeat humanised VS. From a rigid ideologue, he began evolving into a more empathetic, accessible leader. The Mararikulam debacle was the beginning of a new VS, one who stood not just as a party leader, but a symbol of the people's fight for justice and dignity.