Thousands pay tribute to VS Achuthanandan as Kerala mourns

Thousands of people — cutting across political affiliations, religious boundaries, and social divisions — gathered at the Durbar Hall of the Kerala Secretariat on Tuesday to pay their last respects to legendary CPI-M leader and former Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan, who died on Monday evening at a private hospital here.

The body of the 101-year-old leader arrived at the Secretariat premises around 9.10 am, greeted by emotional chants of “Comrade VS never dies; he lives through us.” The mortal remains, draped in the tricolour and CPI-M flag, were brought in an ambulance accompanied by CPI-M General Secretary MA Baby, state secretary MV Govindan, MLA Kadakampally Surendran, and other senior leaders. Upon arrival, the police presented a ceremonial guard of honour to the late leader.

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Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, cabinet ministers, senior CPI-M leaders, including Prakash Karat, several MLAs, and Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar were present at the venue to offer their tributes to the departed leader.

Earlier on Tuesday, Achuthanandan’s mortal remains were moved from his residence near Barton Hill in Thiruvananthapuram to the Durbar Hall at the Secretariat, where they were kept for the public to pay homage.

People had travelled from across the state, including Kollam, Alappuzha, and Palakkad, to offer their final salute to the departed leader. People from all walks of life—from government officials to daily wage workers—thronged outside the Durbal hall to pay their last respects to their beloved comrade. The sea of people who had gathered at the Durbar Hall demonstrated VS’s deep connection with the masses.

Among those who paid their last respects at the Durbar Hall were Governor Rajendra Arlekar, CM Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI-M General Secretary MA Baby, CPI-M State Secretary MV Govindan, senior CPI-M leaders Prakash Karat and Brinda Karat, KPCC President Sunny Joseph, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, and BJP’s Kerala chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

The former Kerala Chief Minister was given a guard of honour as the public homage concluded in the capital city. Thiruvananthapuram bid a tearful farewell to the leader who embodied the state’s social conscience through his passionate life of struggle.

After the public homage at Durbar Hall, the mortal remains of the departed leader were taken to his hometown at Punnapra in Alappuzha in a specially arranged KSRTC bus that will halt at 26 designated locations across Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, and Alappuzha districts to provide facility to party workers and the public to pay their respects to the former Chief Minister. However, sources indicate that more stops may be added depending on the turnout of people along the route. The move ensures that people across the state have the opportunity to bid farewell to one of Kerala’s tallest leaders—a staunch advocate for the rights of the common people, whose century-long life and political journey remain deeply rooted in the public consciousness. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, ministers, and CPI-M leaders are accompanying the funeral cortege.

Upon reaching his ancestral home, Velikkakathu Veedu at Punnapra in Alappuzha, the body will be kept briefly for public homage. From there, the mortal remains will be taken to the CPI(M) Alappuzha district committee office, where the public can once again pay their respects. Subsequently, tributes can be offered at the Alappuzha Beach Recreation Ground.

The funeral will be held on Wednesday at 3 p.m. with full state honours at the Valiya Chudukadu burial ground — a site of deep historical significance linked to the memories of the Punnapra-Vayalar martyrs.