How Comrade VS, working-class heartthrob, became a CM at 82
Lovingly called VS, Achuthanandan spent much of his political life rallying workers, leading protests, and raising his voice from the Opposition benches and the streets.In fact, VS Achuthanandan was the last surviving among the 32 leaders of the undivided Communist Party of India (CPI) who walked out in 1964 to split the party and give birth to the CPI(M), now the largest Left party in India.In 2022, VS had claimed that "Muslim extremist groups in the state (and not the community in general) wanted to turn Kerala into a Muslim-majority state in 20 years". A similar claim about "Muslims becoming a majority in Kerala by 2040" was recently made by the leader of the social service body SNDP Yogam, Vellappally Natesan. The claim triggered a political row in the state.Thus, VS's journey to Kerala's chief ministership, which seemed improbable once, was remarkable.RED SALUTE, TRIBUTE POUR IN FOR COMRADE VSThe passing of VS Achuthanandan prompted an outpouring of grief and admiration from political leaders across India.Kerala Governor's X handle condoled the death of Achuthanandan, saying he was "a true grassroots level leader who remained steadfast in his ideals" and that "his contributions to society and the state's politics will always be remembered."Congress MP Shashi Tharoor mourned the loss of the "giant of Kerala's Communist movement", recalling his rise from humble origins to a beloved mass leader.
Achuthanandan was also the first Chief Minister of Kerala to turn 100. (Image: India Today Magazine)
Actor-politician Kamal Haasan remembered VS as "a torchbearer for the neglected". Hailing Achuthanandan's contributions, Haasan called him a "Communist icon who never stopped fighting for the forgotten"."Kerala, and India, has lost a true people's champion. Farewell, Comrade," posted Haasan, the Makkal Neethi Maiam party chief.TAILOR'S SHOP TO CM OFFICE: THE JOURNEY OF COMRADE VSBorn in 1923, in Alappuzha, to a working-class Ezhava family, Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan faced hardship early on.advertisementOrphaned by age 11, he dropped out of school after Class VII to work at his brother's tailoring shop.His political awakening came at 15, when he joined the Congress Socialist Party, before embracing Communism in 1940.VS cut his teeth, organising coir workers and farm labourers. He played a pivotal role in the 1946 Punnapra-Vayalar uprising against Travancore state's "feudal rule".Brutally tortured and nearly killed during the crackdown, Achuthanandan survived to become a lifelong revolutionary.In 1964, ideological differences led VS and 31 others, including EMS Namboodiripad and AK Gopalan, to break away from the CPI to form the CPI(M).Elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly seven times between 1967 and 2016, Achuthanandan served as CPI(M) state secretary from 1980 to 1992, during Congress rule.His three terms as the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly (1991–1996, 2001–2006, 2011–2016) cemented his reputation as a fierce critic of corruption and injustice.Despite internal party feuds, notably with Pinarayi Vijayan, VS's principled stands, such as his 2012 visit to the widow of slain CPI(M) dissident TP Chandrasekharan, kept him in the public eye. His ascent to Chief Minister in 2006, at 82, was a culmination of his enduring popularity and the party's reliance on his mass appeal.advertisementChief Minister Vijayan, who went to the hospital on Monday when Achuthanandan's condition deteriorated, posted on X his tribute, saying, "A glorious era of revolutionary will and persistence comes to an end with the passing of our beloved Comrade VS Achuthanandan".
After the CPI(M) denied a ticket to VS, protests erupted via SMS, Twitter, and Facebook. (Image: India Today Magazine)
MOBILISING STREET POWER, HOW VS WON HEARTSVS Achuthanandan's transformation into a "working-class heartthrob" was a result of his ability to connect with the masses.His fiery speeches, laced with sarcasm and rustic charm, drew crowds across Kerala.As Leader of the Opposition from 2001 to 2006, Achuthanandan' reinvented himself as a champion of social causes, opposing alleged forest encroachments, illegal lotteries, and corporate exploitation, such as the Coca-Cola plant in Plachimada.His ascent to the CM's post in 2006 saw him lead protests against alleged land grabs in Munnar and advocate for gender rights and environmental protection.advertisementDenied a ticket initially, VS took oath as Kerala CM two months after his election win, becoming the oldest Chief Minister in both the state and the country. That came after his supporters took to the streets demanding their favourite leader be given the opportunity to lead the state.Achuthanandan's messaging resonated with Kerala's working class, who saw him as a fighter against systemic inequities."...As a comrade and a resolute fighter of the people, Comrade VS, as he was fondly known, stands tall as a doyen of Marxist ideology, unyielding in his fight against the exploitative capitalist order..." posted CM Vijayan on X.Even in his 90s, VS remained a crowd-puller.In the 2016 elections, at 92, he campaigned tirelessly, helping the Left Democratic Front secure victory.His austere lifestyle and integrity made him a symbol of hope for Kerala's marginalised, earning him the moniker "Comrade VS, the people's champion".Achuthanandan's death marks the end of an era for Kerala and India's Communist movement. As the last of the original Reds, his journey from a poverty-stricken village boy to Chief Minister at 82 showed his conviction and mass appeal.- EndsTune InMust Watch
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