Icon of communist movement in Kerala CM VS Achuthanandan passes away

V S Achuthanandan, the icon of Communist movement in the country and former Kerala chief minister, passed away while undergoing treatment at a private hospital here on Monday.

He was admitted to the hospital on June 23 following a cardiac attack. He had withdrawn from public appearance following a mild stroke in 2019.

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VS, as he was popularly known, began his political career as a trade union worker. He was also part of the historic Punnapra- Vayalar struggles. He was the most popular leader among the CPl-M leaders in Kerala.

A founding leader of the CPI-M, he turned 101 last October.

VS was the last of the 32 leaders, who walked out of the CPI national council meeting in 1964, to form the CPI–M.

He served as the chief minister of Kerala from 2006 to 2011.