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Hindustan Times
21 minutes ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Rebel leader: V S Achuthanandan's impact on CPI(M)
Thiruvananthapuram, Marxist veteran V S Achuthanandan, who died at a hospital here on Monday, was a rebel and corrective force within his own party and never bothered about disciplinary actions. Rebel leader: V S Achuthanandan's impact on CPI(M) The contradictory stand that he adopted put the party in a tough position many times, and the murder of Revolutionary Marxist Party leader T P Chandrasekharan was one of such incidents. Chandrasekharan, a former CPI leader who had quit the party following differences with the leadership, was hacked to death by a gang while he was returning home on his bike at Onchiyam in Kozhikode on May 4, 2012. The murder was allegedly masterminded by the local leaders of the CPI. Though the party leadership adopted a stand that Chandrasekharan was a "traitor," Achuthanandan never denounced his former party colleague. When the party argued that the then UDF government's move to order a CBI probe into the gruesome murder was a politically motivated one, VS supported the central agency probe and even wrote to the authorities demanding the same. He even defied the party's directive not to visit Chandrasekhar's house and called on his widow K K Rema on the politically significant day of Neyyattinkara bypoll in the same year. The slain leader's house had witnessed highly emotional scenes on the day when VS came there. Overcome with emotion, Rema wept bitterly, clutching Achuthanandan's folded hands for several seconds. The poignant moment was captured in a photograph that graced the front pages of all major newspapers the following day. Though Achuthanandan refused to speak to the media at the time, his surprise visit and the subsequent publication of the photo served as a political statement and a clear response to his party on the matter. An emotional Rema, now the UDF-backed Vadakara MLA, shared the same photo on her Facebook page on Monday as a tribute to the leader, accompanied by a heartfelt note. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Gulf Today
an hour ago
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Kerala former chief minister VS Achuthaandan dies aged 101
Kerala former chief minister VS Achuthanandan, one of India's most respected Communist leaders and a pivotal figure in Kerala's political history, passed away on Monday at the age of 101. The veteran leader had been undergoing treatment for a cardiac arrest and was on ventilator support for nearly a month. During his time in the intensive care unit, several leaders, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, visited him in the hospital. His Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary, MV Govindan, confirmed Achuthanandan's death at 3:20pm, stating that his mortal remains would be cremated in his hometown in Alappuzha district on Wednesday. Achuthanandan was a founding member of the CPI(M) and dedicated his life to advocating for workers' rights, land reforms, and social justice. He served as Leader of the opposition from 2001 to 2006, challenging the Congress party-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government led by AK Antony. As chief minister of Kerala from 2006 to 2011, he was a dynamic force in the state assembly. He was elected seven times and served three terms as Leader of the Opposition. In the 2011 elections, he led the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front's (LDF) campaign again but faced a narrow defeat against the UDF, which won 72 out of 140 assembly seats. Returning as leader of the opposition, his leadership played a crucial role in securing a victory for the LDF in the 2016 elections. However, despite winning decisively in Malampuzha, his party rejected his claim for chief minister and instead chose Vijayan. Following his active political career, Achuthanandan alternated his residence between his son's home and his daughter's house after stepping down from the position of chairman of the Administrative Reforms Committee in January 2021. Born on Oct.20, 1923, into a family of agricultural workers in Punappara, Alappuzha, Achuthanandan's early life was marked by tragedy. He lost his mother at the age of four and his father when he was eleven. These events led him to enter the workforce early, and he dropped out of school after seventh grade to work in a tailoring workshop and a coir mill alongside his elder brother. Achuthanandan was greatly influenced by senior Communist leaders, particularly P Krishna Pillai, which prompted him to engage in trade union campaigns by 1938. By the age of 18, he had become a member of the CPI. During the 1940s, he was imprisoned for his participation in protests advocating for the rights of workers and farmers against the then-princely regimes in Kerala. In 1964, Achuthanandan and 31 other leaders resigned from the national council of the CPI to establish the CPI(M). He began his electoral career in 1965, contesting from the Ambalapuzha assembly constituency in Alappuzha, but lost by 2,327 votes. Demonstrating resilience, he convincingly won the same seat two years later, defeating his opponent by over 9,500 votes. His tenure as the party's state secretary lasted 12 years, from 1980 to 1992, during which he solidified his role as a leading political figure. Throughout his political career, he contested the Kerala assembly elections ten times, from 1965 to 2016, winning seven of those contests. Known for his charismatic oratory and engaging rallies, he consistently attracted large crowds. In 2007, Achuthanandan faced a significant setback when he was removed from the CPI(M) Polit Bureau for defying the authority of the party's state secretary, highlighting the complex dynamics within the party's leadership.
NDTV
5 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
VS Achuthanandan, Former Chief Minister Of Kerala, Dies At 101
Thiruvananthapuram: Veteran CPM leader and former Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan died on Monday, after a long hospitalization. The 101-year-old was admitted to a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on June 23 after he suffered a suspected cardiac arrest at home. He had been in the intensive care unit on ventilator support. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPM state secretary MV Govindan have rushed to the hospital to meet the family and speak to the attending doctors. A steady stream of political leaders are already making a beeline for the hospital to pay their respects. The veteran leader had been staying alternately with his son or daughter in Thiruvananthapuram since he quit as the Chairman of the Administrative Reforms Committee in January 2021. A towering figure in Kerala's political landscape, Achutanandan's populist stance and uncompromising image won him admiration across party lines. Achuthanandan had been the Leader of the Opposition from 2001 to 2006, when he had spearheaded the attack on the UDF government led by AK Antony. In 2006, he had led the CPM-led Left Democratic Front to victory and served as Chief Minister from 2006 to 2011. In 2011, he crafted the LDF campaign and leading from the front, came close to securing a second term, but the Oommen Chandy-led UDF managed a narrow win, securing 72 seats in the 140-member Assembly.
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘He Is Not One of Us': Kerala Congress Leader Slams Shashi Tharoor for 'Nation Comes First' Remark
The Congress civil war intensifies as senior leader K Muraleedharan openly attacks Shashi Tharoor, saying he will not be invited to any Congress event in Thiruvananthapuram unless he changes his stance on national security. Tharoor had earlier stated, 'The nation comes first. Parties are just means to make the nation better,' after facing criticism for publicly backing the armed forces and Centre post the Pahalgam attack. Muraleedharan didn't hold back, saying Tharoor 'is no longer one of us' and questioned his loyalty to the party. He had earlier taken a swipe at Tharoor for sharing a poll suggesting he was the UDF's top CM pick, and for criticizing Indira Gandhi over the Emergency. As Tharoor stands his ground and Muraleedharan calls for action, is the Congress facing a meltdown in Kerala?#shashitharoor #congress #kmuraleedharan #keralacongress #congressvstharoor #congressinfighting #muraleedharan #nationalsecurity #keralapolitics #tharoorvscongress #toi #toibharat #bharat #trending #breakingnews #indianews Read More
TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Hundreds bid farewell to ‘daughter of District Six' Theresa Solomon
Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis offered his condolences to Solomon's family and friends. He was a young boy when she served her term as mayor. Though he had never met her, Hill-Lewis said, many people spoke highly of her and she had shown courageous leadership as a mayor in a young democracy. 'I knew not only her professional history — her civic activism of the '70s and '80s, her involvement in the UDF, her entry into formal politics as an ANC candidate in 1994, her terms as deputy mayor and mayor of Cape Town and her diplomatic career afterwards — I also knew what people said about her, and how she was regarded in her community. 'This combination of principled toughness coupled with a motherly care and empathy made her a force for good in her community, and for the city of Cape Town. She led this city during a period when no-one had any certainty where our country was headed, and whether our democratic miracle would last. 'I think people forget how new and strange that time was for everyone in South Africa, and how challenging it must've been to steer a metro of this size and complexity through those waters,' Hill-Lewis said. A police parade was held after the service and the band played Abide By Me before the coffin was carried into the hearse. President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a special provincial category two funeral and instructed that the national flag fly at half-mast in the Western Cape on Saturday. After the service, Mbalula told the media that Solomon was a servant leader. 'She was an example of good governance and we are very proud of that,' he said.
