Our Bureau
Thiruvananthapuram
This Monday, on 21st July, former Chief Minister of Kerala, VS Achuthanandan passed away at the age of 101 after being in the hospital for a long time. The former icon of the Communist movement was admitted to a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on June 23 after he suffered a cardiac arrest at home. He was kept on a ventilator ever since suffering a cardiac arrest and lost his life 29 days later.
As the news came out the current Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan and CPM state secretary MV Govindan rushed to the hospital to meet the family of the late great leader and offer their condolences. Not only them but there is a streamline of political leaders who are visiting the hospital to offer their prayers and pay their respect to their leaders.
Achuthanandan was a highly reputed leader who, throughout his life, fought for the rights of the disadvantaged sections of the society. He had a firm presence in Kerala’s political space and was one of the major leaders that came out from the state.
He was the founder leader of CPM after it split from an undivided party in 1964. His populist stance and uncompromising image made him a loved leader across his party. He was the Leader of the Opposition from 2001 to 2006. In 2006, he led the CPM-led Left Democratic Front to victory in the state elections and went on to serve as the Chief Minister for the next 5 years till 2011.
The former CM had stayed away from public life for the past 6 years after he suffered a minor stroke in 2019. Two years later in January 2021, he decided to step down as the Chairman of the Administrative Reforms Committee. Ever since then he had been staying with his son or daughter in Thiruvananthapuram alternately for the past 4 years.
