The year was 1958. In the hilly terrains of Devikulam, a high-stakes by-election was underway. The Communist Party had fielded Rosamma Punnoose as its candidate, and leading her campaign from the front was VS Achuthanandan. Fresh off a stellar performance as the Alappuzha district secretary, where the Communist party had clinched the most seats in the 1957 Assembly elections, VS was entrusted with this critical mission.

At the heart of the Left’s campaign was the schemes rolled out by the Communist government for the welfare of plantation workers, many of whom had migrated from Tamil Nadu. Sensing the Left’s growing momentum, the Congress countered by bringing in heavyweights from Tamil Nadu to energise their base. And that’s when VS, the election manager, truly came alive.

VS roped in M G Ramachandran (MGR) for the campaign. It was the only time that MGR campaigned in Kerala. Interestingly, a young Ilaiyaraaja was also part of the music troupe that supported the Left’s campaign. The rest is history as Rosamma Punnoose won the election, backed by a campaign that truly resonated with the people. As president of the high-power committee for the People’s Planning Programme, VS personally visited nearly 200 local bodies and evaluated development initiatives at the grassroots level. Among these, the collective farming initiative in Chottanikkara panchayat gained immense popularity. It was this initiative that laid the foundation for the `no barren land' movement in panchayats (tharishu rahitha panchayat).

I still recall a scene during his visit to Chottanikkara. Picking up a bunch of paddy saplings with grains on them, he turned to District Panchayat President Ouseph and asked, “How many grains are there on this?” When no one could answer, VS gave the exact number. I then saw him repeat this at several locations. He could effortlessly estimate the number of grains on a stalk.

Another instance that stands out was his visit to the IT Cooperative Society launched by the Ernakulam District Panchayat. VS listened intently as the youngsters enthusiastically explained the need for free software. A decade later, as Chief Minister, he gave free software a central place in Kerala’s IT policy. He even established the International Centre for Free and Open Source Solutions (ICFOSS). The photograph of VS meeting Richard Stallman remains as iconic as his images among protestors.

Leader of the downtrodden

Whether in power or out of it, VS always stood with the marginalised, fighting for their right to land, fair wages and dignified livelihoods. He mingled effortlessly with them and won their affection. One of his most significant contributions was extending the labour movement to the unorganised sectors. Farm workers and labourers from traditional industries joined hands with him in that chain.

It was P Krishna Pillai who first recognised Achuthanandan's organisational skills and sent him to Alappuzha to mobilise farm labourers. The history of Kerala’s farm workers’ movement is thus deeply entwined with VS’s life. His fight wasn't merely for wages, but a battle for self-respect and against caste discrimination.

During my time as a minister in his Cabinet, I witnessed firsthand his unwavering stance on critical development projects. For instance, he had a firm belief that Vizhinjam Port would play a pivotal role in Kerala’s future and worked tirelessly to make it a reality.

In the 2009 State Budget, I announced an anti-economic downturn package worth ₹50,000 crore. The package was announced after the plan and budget were presented. It was an unprecedented move that surprised many and even drew praise from the Reserve Bank of India. That announcement would not have been possible without the backing of VS.

He played a central role in strengthening social security programmes and reviving Kerala’s public sector, education and healthcare systems. He consistently stood against violence towards women and corruption.

VS Achuthanandan will forever be remembered as one of the chief architects of modern Kerala, guided by a vision of equity.