Former Kerala chief minister VS Achuthanandan, one of the last remaining comrades from the founding generation of the CPI(M), passed away at the age of 101, as announced by the party on Monday.

The health condition of the former veteran Communist leader VS Achuthanandan was reported to be critical, prompting visits from chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other CPI(M) leaders at the hospital on Monday.

In addition to the chief minister, finance minister KN Balagopal and various party leaders, including the state secretary, visited Achuthanandan in the hospital on Monday afternoon.

VS Achuthanandan had been receiving treatment at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram since last month, following a cardiac arrest on June 23.

Who was VS Achuthanandan

Achuthanandan was a prominent figure in Kerala’s political landscape and had not been seen in public much since suffering a stroke in October 2019.

Born on October 20, 1923, in Punnapra, Alappuzha district, Vellikakath Sankaran Achuthanandan served as the chief minister of Kerala from 2006 to 2011.

A lifelong advocate for social justice and workers’ rights, Achuthanandan was among the last surviving members of the group that established the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in 1964, following a split in the undivided Communist Party.

Achuthanandan was elected as an MLA seven times and participated in 10 elections throughout his political career. Out of these ten elections, he only faced defeat in three. He also lost his initial attempt in electoral politics when he contested from the Ambalapuzha assembly constituency in his home district of Alappuzha.

Achuthanandan held the position of CPI(M)’s state secretary for 12 years, from 1980 to 1992, during which time the organization strengthened its roots and became a refuge for the working class and marginalized communities.

In the 2011 assembly elections, the achievements of VS’ administration were clear as the LDF won 68 out of the state’s 140 seats, just two seats shy of a majority. The opposition UDF, led by Oommen Chandy, subsequently came to power.

Despite campaigning for the LDF at the age of 93 during the 2016 elections and securing a victory from the Malampuzha constituency, VS Achuthanandan was succeeded by Pinarayi Vijayan due to health concerns cited by the party.