Son of Shri. Sankaran and Smt. Accamma; born on 20th October 1923; studied up to VII class; Political and Trade Union Worker.
Entered politics through Trade Union activities; joined State Congress in 1939; became Member in the Communist Party in 1940; imprisoned for five years and six months; went under ground for four and half years in 1946, 1954, 1962, 1963, 1965 and 1975 for taking part in struggle for Independence. Punnapra Vayalar struggle, various agitations against anti people and anti democratic policies of State and Central Governments during the period of emergency and for leading trade union and agrarian movements. Was Secretary, CPI (M) State Committee from 1980 to 1992; Was Convenor,Left Democratic Front from 1996 to 2000; Leader of Opposition from 1992 to 1996.
Now serves as the Chief Mininster of Kerala, Member of CPI (M) State Committee, State Secretariat, Central Committee and Polit Bureau.
Elected to KLA in 1967, 1970, 1991 and 2001.
He is married to Vasumathi and have two children, Asha and Arun Kumar.
Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan, Communist politician from Kerala, India. Polit Bureau member of Communist Party of India (Marxist) since 1985. Currently Leader of Opposition in Kerala Legislative Assembly. Born on 20 October 1923 in Alappuzha district of Kerala state,VS had to give up his studies after finishing VII standard.He entered the world of politics through Trade Union activities.Joined State Congress in 1938. Like many a young men of his age, he became disillusioned with the policies and politics of the Congress and he became member of the Communist Party in 1940.He was imprisoned for five years and six months; and has gone under ground for four and half years in his decades old political career.He was active in the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising. He was one among the 32 comrades who left the CPI National Council in 1964 to form the CPI(M).Secretary of the Kerala State Committee between 1980 and 1992,Member of the Polit Bureau since 1985, Elected to Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1967, 1970, 1991 and 2001, Leader of Opposition from 1992 to 1996 and from 2001 until he was elected as the chief minister of kerala in 2006.
VS had gained enough popular support during his stint as the opposition leader. He did take active personal interestes in making visits to even the remotest of places, where ever he believed that the ruling government was not doing things in a right fashion, or done in an outright dishonest way. How ever a few of his statements, did create an impression that comrade Achuthanandan is basically against any development in the state of Kerala and still believes in outdated theories. There was a controversy that Achuthanandan used some under-hand techniques to elevate his son as a M.D of a Kerala government instituition by circumventing existing norms in recruitment. He is also now accused of using the communist idealogy as a tool to neutralise other capable people in the party. His wierd mannerisms and a strange dialogue presentation during his public speeches, have made many a mimicry artist imitate him in many TV/Stage programmes.
When the prospective candidate list for CPI(M) was published (for the elections of 2006), the name of VS Achuthanandan was conspiciously absent. This create an uproar across the state, and processions/protests were held in support of comrade VS Achuthanandan. The Polit Bureau finally succumbed to the pressure, and have now decided to field VS Achuthanandan from Malampuzha, a constituency in Palghat district, Kerala.
