Padma Vibhushan for VS: CPM says no objection, will go with family

Thiruvananthapuram: A day after the Union government posthumously conferred the Padma Vibhushan on veteran CPM leader and former Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan, the party’s state leadership said it has no objection to accepting the honour.

Addressing the media here on Monday, CPM state secretary MV Govindan said the party would respect and go along with the decision taken by Achuthanandan’s family.

“VS Achuthanandan’s family welcomed the Centre’s decision with joy. Therefore, the party is also accepting it. There is no need for us to take a different stance,” Govindan said.

Meanwhile, the late leader’s son Arun Kumar told the media that a final decision on accepting the Padma Vibhushan would be taken after discussions with the party leadership. Shortly after the announcement, he described the award as a great honour that recognised his father’s decades of public service and reflected national acknowledgement of his contributions to Kerala and Indian politics.

The CPM’s decision marks a rare departure from its long-standing position of rejecting state honours, based on the belief that Communists do not seek or accept awards from the ruling establishment. Following the announcement, there was widespread speculation about whether the party would uphold this tradition or reconsider its stance, particularly given the award's posthumous nature.

During the tenure of the PV Narasimha Rao government, veteran Communist leader EMS Namboodiripad declined the Padma Vibhushan in line with party policy. In 1996, when the United Front government considered conferring the Bharat Ratna on then West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, both Basu and the CPM made it clear in advance that the honour would not be accepted, leading to the proposal being dropped.

Similar positions were taken in the cases of Harkishan Singh Surjeet and, more recently, former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who rejected the Padma Bhushan in 2022. Party sources said these refusals stemmed from the conviction that Communists work for social transformation rather than awards, and that state honours represent recognition from the ruling establishment.

Referring to earlier instances, Govindan noted that decisions to reject honours were taken on a personal basis.

VS Achuthanandan, one of the most recognisable mass leaders of the CPM in Kerala, was widely regarded as a figure who transcended party lines. The decision to accept the Padma Vibhushan is being viewed as an acknowledgement of his enduring legacy and a moment that could signal a shift in the party’s approach to state honours. Achuthanandan passed away on July 21, 2025, at the age of 101.