Will Achuthanandan be Kerala’s next CM?
By Dileep Thekkethil
With the Left Democratic Front (LDF) registering a comprehensive win in the assembly elections in Kerala, sweeping 91 seats out of 140, leaving the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) with just 47 seats, the focus is now on the next possible chief minister of Kerala.
The two prominent Communist Party of India (Marxist) leaders who are in the race for the Chief Minister’s post are veterans VS Achuthanandan and Pinarayi Vijayan. Both leaders have come face to face many times in the past few years and people in Kerala are eagerly waiting for the announcement of the state committee, which will decide the next chief minister of Kerala.
Here are 10 things to know about V S Achuthanandan, a star campaigner and founder of the party.
- If V S Achuthanandan becomes the Chief Minister of Kerala, he will be the oldest among Indian Chief Ministers, at the grand age of 92. Yes, you heard it right. V S Achuthanandan was born on October 20, 1923.
- Achuthanandan is the only living member of the CPI (M). He founded the party, after a split from the Communist Party of India (CPI).
- Achuthanandan first campaigned in 1958, and since then he has been a star campaigner whose speech is marked with sarcasm.
- Achuthanandan addressed at least four public meetings every day in the months ahead of the assembly elections in Kerala.
- Achuthanandan traveled 200 kms. daily for 14 days, covering 62 constituencies across the state’s 14 districts during the final phase of the election campaign.
- Achuthanandan wakes up sharp at 5 a.m. and goes for a morning walk after which he does some ‘yoga’.
- Achuthanandan is a light eater, who takes fruits and vegetables and abstains from taking tea or coffee. Recently, doctors had advised him to include fish, desirably anchovies, in his food.
- Achuthanandan declared that he has Rs 1.02 lakh in bank accounts and Rs 3,000 cash in hand.
- Achuthanandan’s televised comments against Pinarayi Vijayan on the SNC-Lavalin case irked the Polit Bureau which resulted in the public censuring of the party’s most senior leader.
- Achuthanandan is an anti-corruption crusader who has been a nightmare for the corrupt politicians and government officials because of the legal battles he has fought against them.