VS Achuthanandan was the embodiment of courage, struggle, and relentless resistance. A lifelong crusader for the rights of the people, Achuthanandan remained firmly rooted in public causes, earning the enduring trust of the masses. For Keralites, the initials “VS” came to represent both hope and comfort.

His political journey was marked by uncompromising resistance to injustice. A staunch advocate for the exploited, Achuthanandan consistently took on the powerful, making him a symbol of integrity and fearlessness. It was this spirit that transformed Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan into a true people’s leader.

Even as others within the Communist movement climbed the ranks and gradually distanced themselves from its ideological foundations, Achuthanandan stood firm in his beliefs. He refused to make peace with corruption, a position that often placed him at odds with his own party colleagues. Yet, no internal opposition was strong enough to silence him. He endured political isolation and internal resistance, but public support never wavered — ultimately forcing the party to reckon with popular sentiment.

The opposition from within the CPI(M) was often more intense than that from political rivals. Certain factions even treated him and his supporters as adversaries. In one instance, younger party members, unfamiliar with the era in which Achuthanandan risked his life for the party’s foundation, reportedly demanded harsh disciplinary action against him. However, the party soon recognised that his mass appeal was crucial during elections.

Known for his piercing and uncompromising public statements, Achuthanandan remained a relentless critic of corruption. Ironically, many of those who sought to sideline him within the party would later benefit from his immense popularity during campaign seasons. When he stepped aside for Pinarayi Vijayan to assume the Chief Minister’s post, he was offered the role of Chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission — a position that too faced internal resistance. It was only after the intervention of then General Secretary Sitaram Yechury that the appointment went through.

At that defining political juncture, it was Yechury who described VS Achuthanandan as “the Fidel Castro of Kerala” — a fitting tribute to a leader who never strayed from his principles, regardless of the cost.