VS Achuthanandan’s funeral today; Chief Minister, CPM leaders reach Alappuzha

Alappuzha: Veteran CPM leader and former Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan will be laid to rest at Valiyachudukad, a memorial of the Punnapra-Vayalar agitation, on Wednesday. According to Minister Saji Cherian, the funeral, which was scheduled for 4 pm, will be delayed as thousands of people are thronging to pay their last respects to the beloved leader. He appealed to the public to gather at the Recreation Ground on the beach to avoid overcrowding at the leader’s house in Paravur and the CPM party office.

He added that the mortal remains will be kept at the party office only for an hour and will be taken to the Recreation Ground by 2 pm. 

Preparations for the funeral have already commenced at Valiyachudukad.

It is learnt that VS, often referred to as Kerala’s Fidel Castro, will be cremated on land registered in his name. He had purchased the 22-cent plot at Valiyachudukad while serving as the district president of the CPM.

Thousands of people were seen waiting along the route from Thiruvananthapuram to Alappuzha for a final glimpse of the Communist leader. The mourning procession began from the Durbar Hall at the Secretariat around 2 pm on Tuesday. Although the CPM had planned to start the public homage at the party office around 9 am on Tuesday, the vehicle carrying the leader’s mortal remains was delayed due to the overwhelming turnout at various halting points and heavy overnight rain.

The veteran leader died at 3.20 pm on Monday while undergoing treatment in the critical care unit of Pattom SUT Hospital. He had been receiving treatment since June 23 following a cardiac arrest. A founding member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Achuthanandan was a lifelong champion of workers' rights, land reforms, and social justice.

He served as Kerala's Chief Minister from 2006 to 2011 and was elected to the state assembly seven times, serving three terms as Leader of the Opposition.