THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former Kerala Chief Minister and veteran Communist leader V S Achuthanandan turned 101 on Sunday. The celebration remained a low-key affair this year as well. VS is currently leading a retired life at his home in the state capital.
Even though the Marxist veteran did not personally meet visitors owing to ill-health, many prominent persons, cutting across party lines, as well as ordinary party workers and supporters visited his house. They conveyed their wishes to their beloved leader through his son V A Arun Kumar and other family members who warmly received them.
Goa Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai, ministers V Sivankutty and G R Anil, senior CPM leaders S Ramachandran Pillai and M A Baby, CPM state secretary M V Govindan, CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam and senior BJP leader J R Padmakumar were among those who visited thre residence. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan conveyed is greetings through social media, in which he addressed him as ‘Dear Comrade’.
The visitors were treated to payasam and sweets. There were no other celebrations apart from cake cutting attended by close family members.
Arun Kumar told TNIE that it was after many years that his father missed the warm birthday greetings over the phone from Sitaram Yechury with whom he shared an excellent rapport. Yechury, who passed away last month, always used to wish his senior party colleague on his birthday.
Born on October 20, 1923, in Punnapra, Alappuzha, Achuthanandan entered politics through trade union activities in the erstwhile Travancore. In 1940, he became a member of the Communist Party and faced many challenges, including imprisonment.