At 93, VS Achuthanandan still stands tall on the soles of his bleeding red feet

It was business as usual for Kerala's 'Castro' V S Achuthanandan on a day he turned 93, as state Assembly proceedings kept the CPI(M) stalwart and former chief minister busy.

V S Achuthanandan | EPS

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:   On Thursday VS Achuthanandan, Kerala’s Fidel Castro turned 93. And he turned up at the Kerala State Legislative Assembly at 8.30 a.m. attending the first session in full vigour, not missing an opportunity to  pounce on the Congress-led Opposition. Age, for him, seems just a number.

In the morning CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, his close confidant in the party and veteran Congress leader AK Antony called up the old warhorse to convey their wishes. When Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan informed the House about this significant milestone in the veteran legislator’s life, it was met with applause from both the Treasury and the Opposition benches.

Apart from the greetings, there were hardly any birthday celebrations organised. The crew of the film Campus Diary, in which the nonagenarian debuted with a cameo as himself, had turned up to greet their star at Kowdiar House, his official residence.

A true Communist, even at the age of 93 VS continues his fight. On Thursday, he defended the Left government led by Pinarayi Vijayan, once his bete-noire, in the Jacob Thomas resignation controversy.

Highlights of VS’ life

• Founder-leader of CPM VS Achuthanandan is the most popular CPM leader in Kerala. He’s also the oldest living Communist in India.
• VS, who started his career as a trade union leader, was in the forefront of land struggles in Kerala demanding implementation of the Land Reforms Act. Was at the forefront of the well known Punnapra - Wayalar struggle.
• A tireless fighter, he has been imprisoned many a time. During one of such period, policemen pierced his sole in both legs with a bayonet at Poonjar station lock-up. Achuthanandan spent about five-and-a-half years in jail and four years underground in total.
• He’s the only leader alive today among the 32 CPI national council members who walked out of the historical CPI meet in 1964 to found the CPM.
• A long-term CPM state secretary (from 1980 to 1992), VS has been known for his unshakeable stand and rigid nature in dealing with issues. Later, he became a Polit Bureau member till he was dropped from the PB in 2009.
• VS turned out to be one of the most popular Left leaders in the state towards the end of 1990s. 
• Three time opposition leader - 1992-96, 2001-06, 2011-16
• Kerala Chief Minister during 2006-11 despite his bête noire and current chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan having been then state secretary.
• CPM’s most popular leader in the past three elections. In 2011, he was initially denied a seat by the party but later had to field him following public pressure. He was also the star campaigner for the 2016 assembly polls which saw a Left wave in Kerala.
• Currently chairman of the Kerala State Administrative Rerforms Commission.