Velikkakath Sankaran Achuthanandan — Comrade VS — was more than a political figure. He was a movement in himself, a living embodiment of Kerala’s radical transformation over the last century. When he passed away at the age of 102, he left behind not just a legacy of leadership, but a legend of struggle, resilience, and unwavering conviction.

VS was the most enduring symbol of the convergence between subaltern consciousness and the Communist movement in Kerala. He was that rare specimen who could challenge the iron grip of party diktats without ever abandoning the very party he helped build. In a political culture marked by discipline and conformity, VS stood tall — dissenting, questioning, but never deserting.

The political history of Kerala in the early 21st century cannot be written without the chapter he authored — a bold, almost unthinkable challenge to the state leadership of the CPI(M), led then by Pinarayi Vijayan. It was a battle of will, unlike anything seen in the annals of Communist politics in Kerala and India.

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Born into poverty in Alappuzha, VS's schooling ended early, and he joined a coir factory as a young worker. It was here, amidst the dust and sweat of the working class, that his political journey began. The coir industry of Alappuzha was the crucible of the trade union movement in the then state of Travancore, and it was under the guidance of the legendary P Krishna Pillai that VS took his first steps into full-time political life.

Pillai was instrumental in sending him to Kuttanad to organise farm labourers, reeling under the yoke of feudal oppression. Old timers in Kuttanad still recall the image of VS with only one set of clothes. He had only one set of clothes then — a single dhoti and shirt, which he washed every evening and wore again the next day, said one of them. But what he lacked in material comfort, he made up for in discipline, courage, and resolve. These qualities helped turn the agricultural and coir workers of Alappuzha into a stronghold of Communist resistance.

From district leadership of the undivided CPI to a founding leader of the CPI(M) in 1964, VS rose steadily through the ranks. He joined the national council of the CPI and later the Politburo of the CPI(M), though he remained relatively unknown outside Kerala. In fact, The Illustrated Weekly of India referred to him as “Unknown Entity” when he was inducted into the politburo in the middle of 1980s.

But that changed forever when VS defied the Kerala CPM leadership in the early 2000s. He became the face of people’s struggles — against corruption, ecological degradation, illegal land encroachments, and the looming danger posed by the Mullaperiyar Dam. He emerged from the party’s shadow as a mass leader, one whose popularity eclipsed even the organisation he represented.

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In 2006, when the state leadership tried to deny him a ticket to contest the elections, public outrage erupted. The party’s central leadership was forced to intervene. VS became the face of the Left Democratic Front's campaign, led them to a resounding victory, and was rightfully made Chief Minister. Even in 2011, he came tantalisingly close to a second term — a possibility some believe was sabotaged from within the party.

He returned again in 2016, playing a pivotal role in yet another LDF victory. By then, VS had achieved something no other Kerala politician ever had — a fan following akin to movie stars. In packed public meetings, the chant "Kanne Karalee, VEE-YESSE, Dheerathyode Nayicholu!" ("Beloved VS, lead us with courage!") echoed like an anthem of hope. He was no longer just a comrade — he was a phenomenon.

Perhaps his admirers never heard the Beatles sing P.S. I Love You. But if they had, they would surely have sung — from the heart, — VS, I love you.