Former Kerala CM Achuthanandan tests COVID-19 positive

Thiruvananthapuram: Veteran CPI-M leader and former Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has tested positive for COVID-19. The 98-year-old leader has been admitted to a private hospital here, his son V.S. Arunkumar posted on social media.

Even though his father was confined to the house due to his age, the nurse attending on the veteran, recently turned positive and after he went for testing, he also was found positive, Arunkumar added.

“Following the advice from doctors, he was shifted to a hospital on Thursday and is presently convalescing,” wrote Arunkumar.

He bowed out from electoral politics and did not contest the April 6 Assembly elections, while he was a member of the outgoing Assembly.

He served as the Chief Minister from 2006-2011 and was the Leader of Opposition from 2011-2016. He made way for Pinarayi Vijayan as the new Chief Minister in 2016.

Achuthanandan then had to be content with being a legislator and later he was made the chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission, which came with cabinet status. But just before the Assembly polls, he quit from the post.