'End Of An Era': How VS Achuthanandan Became One of Kerala's Most Famous Communist Icons

Thiruvananthapuram: VS Achuthanandan departs as one of the most popular political leaders in Kerala's history. Only two other communist leaders rival his popularity: AKG and EMS Namboodiripad, who were the most popular leaders in Kerala during their respective eras.

AKG, who started his political career as a Congress activist, was always at the forefront of popular protests, including the Guruvayur Satyagraha. After joining the Communist Party, he earned the title 'Captain of the Poor.' When the Communist Party split in 1964, while most prominent leaders remained in the CPI, AKG's presence in the CPM brought the vast majority of communist activists and sympathizers in Kerala to the CPM. EMS, born into an upper-caste family, was always called the 'adopted son of the working class.' Although he served twice as Kerala's Chief Minister, EMS gained prominence as the 'party's ideologue.' His extraordinary intellect and ability to communicate with ordinary people, transcending his limitations, made EMS a legend in his lifetime.

Unlike his two predecessors, VS's rise to popularity wasn't gradual. For a significant part of his public life, VS was known more for his organizational skills than popularity. Until the year 2000, his public image was that of a stubborn and strict communist. His elongated and clipped speaking style attracted mimics more than the general public. However, in the later stages of his life, VS's dedication to self-renewal and his energetic embrace of new challenges, a commitment unseen before in Kerala, transformed him into a popular figure.

The Paths VS Forged

Born in 1923, VS Achuthanandan began his public life in 1939 by joining the State Congress. The very next year, he joined the Communist Party. His role and participation in the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising of 1946 remain a subject of unresolved debate. In any case, he spent a long period in hiding and in jail after that.

Kerala first noticed VS Achuthanandan in the Devikulam by-election of 1958, the first by-election to the Kerala Legislative Assembly. VS was the main campaigner for the Communist Party in that crucial by-election, which determined the survival of the EMS ministry. When the Communist Party candidate, Rosamma Punnoose, won, VS's organizational skills were recognized. Subsequently, he was elevated to the position of Alappuzha District Secretary and Central Committee member. He became part of history when he was one of the thirty-two who walked out of the CPI Central Council to form the CPM in 1964.

(VS Achuthanandan, then Chief Minister of Kerala, with former Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and former Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee)

Step into Elections

His first foray into electoral politics was in 1965. In his first contest, he lost to K.S. Krishnakurup of the Congress in Ambalapuzha by 2,327 votes. However, he won from Ambalapuzha again in '67 and '70, entering the Legislative Assembly. He contested again from Ambalapuzha in '77 but lost to K.K. Kumara Pillai of the RSP.

In 1980, the Left Democratic Front, including the Congress(U) and Kerala Congress(M), won a majority. It was widely believed that T.K. Ramakrishnan, the leader of the CPM in the dissolved assembly and the Leader of the Opposition, would become the Chief Minister. EMS's support for TK was also an open secret. However, the then Kannur lobby, led by M.V. Raghavan, thwarted the move to make TK the Chief Minister by putting forward E.K. Nayanar, the then State Committee Secretary, who had won from Malampuzha. E.K. Nayanar became the Chief Minister. The opposing faction retaliated by giving up the fifth ministerial position reserved for the CPM, which was intended for M.V. Raghavan. In any case, when Nayanar from Malabar became the Chief Minister, the search for a secretary from Travancore led to VS Achuthanandan. It wasn't a time when the CPM could establish complete dominance in any single district or region.

VS later gained prominence in 1986 with his excellent performance as the party's state secretary in countering the threat posed by M.V. Raghavan. Following the presentation of an alternative document, M.V. Raghavan was expelled from the CPM. When he formed the CMP, VS demonstrated his strength by using every means, including persuasion, gifts, division, and punishment, with the help of EMS, to prevent the flow of activists to that party. In 1987, when the Left Front came to power, he was involved in moves to prevent K.R. Gowri from becoming Chief Minister, considering the local communal balance. Although Nayanar was the Chief Minister, VS, as party secretary, took complete control of the government and became more powerful. It was then that the desire to become Chief Minister arose.

The Chief Ministerial Dream

Considering the huge victory in the District Council elections and the Muslim League's departure from the UDF, the Assembly elections were advanced by a year, anticipating a sure victory. However, the Muslim League's sudden return to the UDF and Rajiv Gandhi's assassination upset all calculations. Although VS was elected to the Assembly from Mararikulam, the Left Front lost power. The election was a year early. It was interpreted that the party lost a year's worth of rule due to the excessive eagerness to make VS the Chief Minister. His relationship with EMS also deteriorated during this period. As a result of all this, Nayanar defeated VS in the contest for the secretary position at the state conference held in 1992. He later became the Leader of the Opposition.

Electoral Defeat and Revenge

The 1996 elections were held under all favorable circumstances. As expected, the Left Front won a majority. However, VS Achuthanandan, the only CPM Politburo member contesting in Kerala, who contested with the assurance of the Chief Ministership, was defeated by P.J. Francis, a relatively unknown figure, by 1,965 votes in Mararikulam. This defeat was the biggest setback in VS's political career. He reacted strongly to it.

With the support of Nayanar, his former enemy, VS defeated Susheela Gopalan, who contested for the Chief Ministership as a representative of the CITU faction, whom VS blamed for his defeat. He supported Chadayan Govindan to defeat K.N. Raveendranath, a senior CITU leader, for the state secretary position. In the subsequent Palakkad state conference, he ousted M.A. Lawrence, K.N. Raveendranath, and others. M.A. Lawrence was demoted, and P.B. Cherian was expelled from the party. T.K. Palani, who was in charge of the election campaign in Mararikulam, was also expelled from the party. Thus, he took revenge on all the leaders considered responsible for his defeat. Pinarayi Vijayan, M.A. Baby, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, and others supported VS in all these moves. When Chadayan Govindan passed away, VS played a key role in making Pinarayi Vijayan the state secretary. VS also became the convener of the Left Front.

Paddy Field Struggle

It was during this period that VS led the struggle to protect paddy cultivation. Although it was a struggle to protect paddy fields and wetlands, it was termed as 'destructive.' Enemies within and outside the party used this opportunity to portray VS as regressive and anti-development.

Victory, But...

VS contested again as the Chief Ministerial candidate in the 2001 Assembly elections. However, the Left Front suffered a humiliating defeat. VS himself barely won from Malampuzha. He was 78 years old then. Everyone believed that his last chance to become Chief Minister was gone. But VS's refusal to believe this is where his and Kerala's history took a turn.

Leader of the Opposition

Over the next five years, he redefined the role of the Leader of the Opposition in Kerala. Wherever there were environmental violations, illegal land encroachments, or atrocities against women, VS rushed there with the fighting spirit of protest, his mind unaffected by age. VS became the face of the fight against corruption at all levels. The public believed that VS was a man of morality whom no financial power could influence. Even those who had never said anything good about him until then looked at him with respect. VS became a symbol of the fight against all social evils.

VS-Pinarayi Rift

It was during this period that his relationship with the state secretary, Pinarayi Vijayan, deteriorated. This marked the beginning of the VS-Pinarayi group fight, which became the most intense factionalism in the history of the CPM in Kerala. One faction alleged that the party was not supporting the struggles and legal battles waged by VS Achuthanandan, while the other side accused VS of trying to grow beyond the party. When all twelve candidates who contested for the state committee with VS's support at the Malappuram conference were defeated, Pinarayi gained complete control of the party. Those who fought for VS were ousted one by one. Some, like T.P. Chandrasekharan, left the party. Many others were silenced. There were also allegations that VS did not react to any of this.

These setbacks did not break the fighter in VS. M.N. Vijayan's description of VS as a 'creature that lives by consuming defeat' became true. The public compared the CPM's moral decline with VS's high moral standards. He managed to stand on opposite ideological grounds simultaneously. While upholding issues like environmental protection and women's equality raised by the new left, he did not abandon the dogmatic practices of classical Marxism. However, the public viewed all of this very positively. While he became weak within the party, VS's acceptance in the public sphere soared. This acceptance is what nullified all attempts by the official faction to sideline VS in the 2006 elections.

Chief Minister

As Chief Minister, VS was the one with the least power. A Chief Minister with no control over other departments or ministers, not even the freedom to appoint his personal staff. There were also complaints that VS abandoned many of the issues he raised as Leader of the Opposition for the sake of power. VS overcame all these limitations by creating an image of fighting against corruption. The Munnar evictions, the imprisonment of Balakrishna Pillai, and his stance on the allegations against P.K. Kunhalikutty further enhanced VS's image. This is what enabled him to overcome the attempts to deny him a seat again in 2011 and to bring the Left Front close to victory solely on the strength of his image and campaign skills. In 2016, the CPM realized that they could not win without VS.

Working Style

Regarding VS's working style and his goals, there are many who disagree. There were allegations that he only championed his interests and had no qualms about sacrificing anyone to achieve them. There was also criticism that his language and gestures often crossed the boundaries of decency.

But above all this, there are VS Achuthanandan's contributions to Kerala. His performance as Leader of the Opposition is significant. There is another equally important thing. Malayalis are a people who retire mentally before the age of sixty. A people who do not believe that they can achieve or fight for anything new after that. Politicians may remain mentally active for a little longer. But only Achuthanandan believed that he still had something to achieve at the age of seventy-eight and showed the willingness to renew himself for it.

If VS's political career had ended in 2001, he would not have even been a footnote in Kerala's history. His rise from there to his current high position was due to his actions that defied time and age. The lesson VS taught Malayalis through his life is that age is not a limit or constraint to striving for goals. VS's life was an endless struggle. A struggle against the party's enemies, against enemies within the party, against everything and everyone who opposed his ideas and goals, even against time and age itself. There may have been those who were trampled upon, those who were wounded, those who were cut down. But VS only saw the goal. What departs is that indomitable fighting spirit.

(Written by Nissam Syed originally in Malayalam)