Kerala bids tearful adieu to former CM and communist legend VS Achuthanandan

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala is preparing a solemn and dignified farewell to one of the nation's tallest and most respected Communist leaders, VS Achuthanandan, who passed away at the age of 101 at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, July 21, 2025.

On Tuesday morning, the body of the former Chief Minister — fondly referred to as 'VS' — was taken from his son’s residence to the Durbar Hall at the State Secretariat, in Thiruvananthapuram, the symbolic seat of the government he led from 2006 to 2011.

In tribute, the Kerala government has announced a three-day state mourning until July 24. All government offices, educational institutions, autonomous bodies, statutory organisations, public sector undertakings, and other institutions under the Negotiable Instruments Act remained closed on Tuesday.  

The national flag will fly at half-mast across government buildings in the state during the mourning period.

VS Achuthanandan's final rites will take place in his hometown, Alappuzha, on Wednesday. The district administration has declared a public holiday in Alappuzha for the occasion.

State Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian, who hails from the same district, confirmed to the local media that arrangements were being closely coordinated. “We initially planned a public reception at the Town Hall, but anticipating a much larger turnout, we’ve decided to erect a special pandal on the seashore,” he said.

The funeral procession is expected to depart Thiruvananthapuram by 2pm and reach Alappuzha by around 7pm. The body will be kept for public homage at the CPI(M) district office and at the late leader’s residence.

On Wednesday, the body will be taken to the seashore before proceeding to the cremation ground at Valiyachudukad, where the funeral pyre is expected to be lit at around 4pm.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who shared a complex and often turbulent relationship with Achuthanandan, was the first to place a wreath on his comrade’s coffin.

Top CPI(M) leaders including General Secretary MA Baby (who served as Education Minister under VS), former General Secretary Prakash Karat, Brinda Karat, and several senior party figures paid their last respects.

Large crowds gathered outside Durbar Hall from the early hours of the morning, with people of all ages queuing patiently for a final glimpse of the iconic leader. Many among them echoed the same sentiment: “There will never be another like VS. His loss is irreplaceable.”

VS Achuthanandan was the last surviving founding member of the CPI(M), which was born out of a split from the Communist Party of India in 1964.

A staunch ideologue and tireless champion of the people, he was instrumental in shaping Kerala's political landscape for decades.

He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter. His passing marks the end of an era in Indian and Kerala politics.