Massive crowd throng to pay tribute to ex-Kerala CM

Thousands of party supporters and public waited for hours in queues and stood by the side of the National Highway 66 to pay tribute to Kerala’s former chief minister and Communist veteran VS Achuthanandan who breathed his last in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday.

- Vishnu Varma

Achuthanandan, fondly called by his initials “VS” among his supporters, died at the SUT Hospital in the state capital at 3.20 pm, after suffering a cardiac arrest and complications from age-related issues. The remains of the 101-year-old had been taken from the hospital to the AKG study centre for senior leaders and supporters to pay their respects on Monday evening. By night, it was taken to his son VA Arun Kumar's residence in Barton Hill where close family members could pay tributes.

On Tuesday morning, the veteran Communist leader was laid in state at the Durbar Hall inside the Secretariat complex from 9 am onwards, where there were more facilities for party supporters and the public to stream in and pay their respects to the departed leader. The remains were draped in the Communist red flag and over it by the Indian tricolour.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI(M) general secre-