Thiruvananthapuram: Marking the end of an era in Kerala’s CPI(M)-led Left movement, communist veteran and former Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan passed away at SUT Hospital here on Monday at 3.20 pm.
The 102-year-old comrade, often referred to as the 'Fidel Castro of Kerala,' was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of SUT Hospital following a heart attack on June 23, shortly after returning home from a routine check-up on June 22.
He is survived by his wife K. Vasumathi, son V.A. Arun Kumar, and daughter Dr. V. Asha.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI(M) State Secretary M.V. Govindan, ministers, party leaders, and several others visited the hospital before his demise.
Achuthanandan’s death marks the end of a chapter in Kerala’s Left movement - his life bridging grassroots struggles and state leadership, with unwavering commitment to labour rights and land reform. His journey from youthful rebel to elder statesman earned him deep respect across political lines.
He served as Chief Minister of Kerala from 2006 to 2011, and later as the Chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission with cabinet rank from 2016 to 2021. He was also a three-time Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly.
Born on October 20, 1923, in Punnapra, Alappuzha, he entered politics through trade union activism and joined the State Congress in 1938. By 1940, he became a member of the Communist Party of India (CPI). He participated in the 1946 Punnapra–Vayalar uprising and spent years in prison and underground.
Over his 40-year political career, he was imprisoned for five years and six months, and spent four and a half years in hiding. He served as Secretary of the CPI(M) Kerala State Committee from 1980 to 1992. He was the only Keralite among the 32 members who split from the CPI National Council in 1964 to form the CPI(M).
First elected as an MLA in 1967, he rose through the ranks of the CPI(M), becoming State Secretary (1980–1992) and Politburo member from 1985.
He was a staunch advocate of land reforms, workers’ rights, and clean governance. Notable initiatives during his tenure included reclaiming encroached land in Munnar, launching the Vallarpadam Terminal and the expansion of Technopark, and pushing for the development of Kannur airport and free software education.
The funeral will take place on Wednesday evening, CPI(M) State Secretary M.V. Govindan announced.
The body will be moved from SUT Hospital to the old AKG Centre here at 5 pm today, where the public can pay their respects. Later tonight, it will be taken to his son’s residence in Thiruvananthapuram at 8 pm.
On Tuesday morning, the body will be placed at Darbar Hall for public homage. In the afternoon, it will be taken in a funeral procession to Alappuzha via the National Highway. By night, it will reach his residence in Vellikkakathu, Alappuzha, where public viewing will be held.
On Wednesday, the body will be taken to the CPI(M) District Committee Office in Alappuzha, followed by public homage at the Alappuzha Town Hall. The cremation will take place in the evening at the Valiya Chudukadu crematorium in Alappuzha.
As a mark of respect, CPI(M) party flags will be flown at half-mast, as instructed by M.V. Govindan. V.S. Achuthanandan was the oldest person ever to serve as Chief Minister in Kerala’s history. As Leader of the Opposition, he was a frontline leader of people’s agitations and social movements.
