VS Achuthanandan’s nephew Peethambaran, a former CPM activist, has joined Congress and said that he would work towards Advocate Liju, a UDF candidate in Ambalapuzha’s victory in the upcoming Assembly elections in Kerala. Peethambaran left the CPM a few years ago over the CITU’s ‘Nokku Kolli’ issue. And although he joined the CPI later, he did not stay there for long.
Meanwhile, with Kerala set to witness yet another election, the state surely misses its Communist patriarch VS Achuthanandan. The fiery CPM leader whose seemingly humorous yet pointed verbal tirades against political opponents had helped him cultivate a fan base across the state, has never missed an election campaign in his seven-decade political career, save for this one due. The 97-year-old veteran Communist leader has been avoiding public meetings because of health related problems.
What comes as a surprise, however, is that the LDF’s poll wing seems to have shut out the crowd puller, who in the past played a crucial role in the coalition’s victory.
With just the image of current Chief Minister Pinaryi Vijayan juxtaposed against LDF’s campaign materials with the catchphrase ‘LDF is a surety’ ruling hoardings in most places in the State, the posters don a different look in Malampuzha.
Malampuzha which witnesses a three way contest amongst CPM leader A Prabhakaran, Congress’ SK Ananthakrishnan and BJP’s C Krishnakumar. In Malampuzha, photos of VS, who represented the constituency for 20 years, 2001 to 2021, is featured prominently alongside Pinaryi’s in a bid to woo voters.
