KASARGOD: V S Achuthanandan will remain etched in the hearts and minds of Kerala’s common people — perhaps nowhere more deeply than in Nileshwaram, where a group of auto-rickshaw drivers once defied the party’s directive in his name.
For the people of Nileshwaram, VS wasn’t just a political leader; he was a symbol of honesty, resistance, and the unwavering commitment to the downtrodden.
It was in 2006, when the CPM denied VS a ticket to the assembly election, that the spark of rebellion was first lit in the town. And it was the auto-rickshaw drivers of Nileshwaram town stand who carried the fire — ordinary men who were not willing to accept what they saw as an injustice to their beloved leader.
“We felt betrayed when the party denied a seat to VS. He was the voice of the common man, and we couldn’t remain silent,” recalls Hareesh, a veteran driver of what came to be know as the VS auto stand. “We organised a protest march, openly defying the party’s official orders. The leadership tried to stop us, but we were joined by people from all walks of life.”
The protest was marked by rare acts of defiance within the ranks of the party. Angry supporters flung cow dung at posters of then state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, VS’ rival and black flags were hoisted in front of the houses of prominent CPM leaders in town.
At the heart of it all was a massive cutout of VS, erected beside the iconic mango tree at the auto-rickshaw stand. From that day, the spot was no longer just a parking bay — it became the VS auto stand, a living tribute to the man they considered their leader. The story didn’t end there. In 2011, when the party once again moved to sideline VS, the auto drivers of Nileshwaram rose in protest once again, forcing the central leadership to rethink its decision. “Who else had the love of the masses like VS?” Hareesh asks.