K.N. Balagopal
V.S. Achuthanandan was that rare leader who represented three significant eras of communist history. Comrade VS began his political life during India’s freedom struggle. He was at the forefront of the Punnapra-Vayalar struggle, which symbolised the communist movement against British colonialism. He was also a frontline leader in the campaigns against the princely rule in Travancore and regressive social custom such as casteism. He rose to the leadership of the Communist Party by organising farm labourers and equipping them for a historic struggle.
When the first communist government led by E.M.S. Namboothiripad came to power in Kerala, VS was the district secretary of the Communist Party in Alappuzha. During the 1975 Emergency, during the setbacks faced by communist organisations globally after the fall of the Soviet Union, and the era of globalisation of the 1990s, he evolved into a major communist figure leading the progressive movements. He was perhaps the only leader who played a leadership role in these three phases of the party.
I first met VS, the communist leader during my college days. Later when he was the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, I got to know him better. He was always keen on studying issues deeply and extending his support wherever it was needed. When he became the Chief Minister, I got the opportunity to work with him as his political secretary. I was serving as the national president of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) when the then Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and VS asked me to shoulder this responsibility.
VS was particular that the issues he took up were attended to promptly. He did not care for technicalities. Also, if he was convinced about something, it was very difficult to shake his belief in it. I feel that this was both the positive and negative characteristic of his personality. He was also very disciplined in his diet and exercise regimen.
Mullaperiyar Dam
As Chief Minister, he was able to kickstart many initiatives. One example was the discussions held between Kerala and the Tamil Nadu team led by its then Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on the Mullaperiyar Dam. Although the dispute could not be resolved, these discussions helped in bringing the two States closer. He was keenly interested in new ideas. I was with him when he rode the Delhi Metro before the project was launched in Kochi.
As Chief Minister, he maintained close relations with the Union government. He had very close relations with Lalu Prasad Yadav (the then Union Railway Minister) and many other senior political leaders on the national scene. These relations also worked to Kerala’s advantage during the first Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government which had the support of the Left. Kerala benefitted much from VS’s national-level connections, especially in matters of development, including railway infrastructure.
I consider it a great experience to have had the opportunity to work with such a tall leader of Indian politics. I also cherish the affection and care that he and the members of his family showered on me.
(The writer is the Finance Minister of Kerala and was the political secretary to V.S. Achuthanandan when he was the Chief Minister)
Published – July 21, 2025 08:31 pm IST
