As grey clouds congregated above Kerala's capital city, hundreds of tear-stained faces lined shoulder to shoulder under umbrellas and open heavens — facing rain, sorrow, and emotion — to bid adieu to one of the tallest Communist movement leaders in India— VS Achuthanandan. Loved by all as "VS", he might have left the physical world, but his legacy, comrades announced marches on.
The mortal remains of the 101-year-old CPI(M) veteran were taken to the historic Durbar Hall of the Secretariat complex from his residence for political leaders and the public to offer their last respects.
Emotional slogans resounded — "Brave comrade VS, who told you you are gone? You live on through us!" — as old fans and young fans in line alike waited for the final glimpse of the leader who defined Kerala's politics and society for more than eight decades.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan led the state tribute, sitting silently alongside the tricolour-covered body within the casket. Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, ministers, political leaders, and socio-religious dignitaries, and also representatives of the public, presented rich tributes to Achuthanandan at the Durbar Hall on Tuesday.
Apart from top CPI(M) leaders like politburo member MA Baby, various dignitaries of socio-religious segments were also present there to pay their respects.
Also read: Ex-Kerala CM, veteran Communist VS Achuthanandan dies at 101
The late former chief minister passed away at a local hospital on Monday, and crowds have been thronging ever since to catch a last glimpse of him and pay their respects.
KPCC president Sunny Joseph, BJP state chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar, CPI general secretary D Raja, Prakash Karat and Brinda Karat, senior CPI(M) leaders, and CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan were among the those who visited the veteran leader to pay their respects to him.
After hours of public eulogy, the body of the veteran was wrapped in the red flag of the party and moved to a specially attired Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus for transportation to his native town Alappuzha. Thousands bid a tearful adieu to Achuthanandan in Thiruvananthapuram, the city he spent almost five decades of his life in political activities. The funeral procession is expected to arrive in the seaside town at night and gather tributes from the people in the places along the route.
On Tuesday, his mortal remains were carried in a procession from his son's home to the Durbar Hall within the Secretariat for official public reverence. A notable crowd of party activists escorted the ambulance, and some others followed in cars on Monday evening. The body was moved to his son's house in the city around 11.45 pm and remained there till morning.
Even at midnight, huge crowds had gathered before the house to get a glimpse of their favourite leader. No public obeisance took place at the residence, according to party sources.
His cremation will be held in the public crematorium at Valiya Chudukadu in Alappuzha by Wednesday noon, according to party sources.
The government has announced a public holiday on Tuesday and a three-day mourning period as a tribute to the former CM. The veteran leader succumbed at 3.20 pm on Monday while receiving treatment in the critical care unit of Pattom SUT Hospital. He was under treatment since 23 June after a cardiac arrest.
A veteran Marxists' leader and one of the founding members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Achuthanandan was an ardent lifelong crusader for workers' rights, land reforms, and social justice.
He was Kerala's Chief Minister between 2006 and 2011 and won election to the state assembly seven times, serving three terms in the role of Leader of the Opposition.
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