Kerala CPI-M celebrates VS Achuthanandan @100

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 20 (IANS) CPI-M workers and leaders were on Friday engaged in celebrating the 100th birthday of the living legend and party veteran VS Achuthanandan.

Top leaders in the state capital city made a beeline to the house of his son VA Arunkumar where the veteran is leading a retired life.

“In the morning he was given a bath before being doused with special ayurvedic oil. He was seated on his wheelchair and he is happy and cheerful,” said Arunkumar.

For fear of infection, no one was allowed to meet the veteran and hence all the top leaders from various political parties conveyed their wishes through his son. Those who visited Arunkumar’s house included CPI-M state Secretary MV Govindan, state BJP President K Surendran and numerous others.

Many others, including Congress veterans like Ramesh Chennithala spoke to Arunkumar and conveyed their wishes for Achuthanandan.

At the leader’s home district Alappuzha, the district committee of the party held a special meeting to honour the veteran, who was the mainstay of the party till he retired from active politics.

People were seen holding pictures of Achuthanandan, likewise various TV channels were all running special programmes on him.

Achuthanandan, popularly known as VS, has been out of public glare for the last four years.

He served as a Chief Minister from 2006-11, and was the Leader of Opposition before that for five years. Though it was he who led the CPI-M-led Left in the 2016 Assembly polls, Pinarayi Vijayan stepped in to take over as the Chief Minister much against the wishes of Achuthanandan and those supporting him.

While Vijayan was sworn in, Achuthanandan was given the chairmanship of the Administrative Reforms Commission – a cabinet-level post which he held till age caught up with him. He stepped down during the fag end of the first Vijayan government and after that he has practically been confined to his home.

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