VS, the tall opposition leader of the masses

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Politicians live longer than the population they represent, thanks to the power they wield, so goes the saying. However, it was not the case with VS Achuthanandan, who passed away on Monday, July 21. He had spent five years confined to his residence, away from power.
VS, who became the chief minister for the first time at 82, had already proved that power was not necessary to be relevant in life. He was much stronger as an opposition leader than the chief minister.
The veteran Marxist was the opposition leader when he suffered a shocking and unexpected defeat at Mararikulam in the 1996 Assembly election. Though his party had a role in his defeat, VS, then, was not an opposition leader of the masses.
However, in 2001, Kerala saw a different VS, who had undergone a total change, but for his belief in the party ideology. He took up issues affecting the people without fear or favour. He developed and fostered strong support — even among the academic community in various sectors, providing him with credible information. Those people who stood by VS helped the leader to bridge his knowledge gap.
Atrocities against women and land grabbing were two issues that often made VS furious. He led the fight for the victims in the Kaviyoor, Kiliroor, and ice cream parlour sex scandals.
He trekked to Mathikettan against land grabbing. When he was denied a party ticket in the 2006 Assembly election, VS did not protest: he was busy fighting against a move to hand over the Kovalam Palace to a private party.
VS's determination to end corruption landed a former minister in jail. He was at the forefront of the fight for endosulfan victims. His keen observation altered the Kochi SmartCity agreement that initially said Infopark should be handed over to Tecom. He led a successful battle against online lotteries, forcing the government to ban them.
Prominent lawyers like Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan, Gopal Subramaniyam, and others recognised VS's sincerity and integrity in issues he took up, and appeared for him in courts free of cost. VS strongly believed that there would be a justification for any people's movement. This belief made him participate in many protests, including that of Pombilai Orumai in Munnar.
After his stint as the chief minister, VS could not perform as the opposition leader as he had done between 2001 and 2006. Perhaps, he might have realised the limitations of the administrator.
Additionally, his party, too, reined him in. VS was always keen on learning new things, which made him an effective opposition leader. Which other leader had appointed a teacher to learn Hindi at the age of 93?