Communist veteran V.S. Achuthanandan died Monday afternoon at age 101 after battling illness for over a month. The former Kerala Chief Minister suffered cardiac arrest at his residence on June 23 and remained on life support until his death at 3:20 p.m. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sadness over the loss and recalled their interactions as Chief Ministers of their respective states. Kerala Government declared Tuesday a public holiday to honor the departed leader. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee noted his role as the last surviving founding member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
Current Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan accompanied the funeral procession to AKG Centre amid large crowds. The body will lie in state at the Secretariat Durbar Hall on Tuesday before transport to his hometown, Alappuzha. Funeral services will take place Wednesday at Valiyachudukad cremation ground. Political leaders across party lines visited to pay respects, while Communist flags flew at half-mast throughout the state.
Current Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan accompanied the funeral procession to AKG Centre amid large crowds. The body will lie in state at the Secretariat Durbar Hall on Tuesday before transport to his hometown, Alappuzha. Funeral services will take place Wednesday at Valiyachudukad cremation ground. Political leaders across party lines visited to pay respects, while Communist flags flew at half-mast throughout the state.
