The CPM leader, who heads the recognised Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, was talking to this correspondent at his official residence at Thiruvananthapuram.

Achuthanandan was recovering from his Cataract operation. He was not receiving visitors as per doctor’s advice. I was visiting Kerala and decided to pay my respects to the 90-year-old leader. Many persons, including some journalists, thought that in view of his health condition it may be difficult for me to meet him. I contacted his press secretary Sudhakaran and told him that I am from Bhopal and was very keen to meet the leader who has played a very crucial and decisive role in Kerala politics.

Sudhakaran told me that he would get back to me. I was delighted when I was told that Achuthanandan had agreed to meet me. I reached his residence, which is known as Cantonment House, at about 4.30 pm. The Cantonment House is the permanent residence of the Opposition leader in Kerala. Earlier it used to be the Chief Minister’s residence. EMS Namboodripad lived in this spacious bungalow.

Though the bungalow was very spacious, it was a profile in simplicity. There was no luxurious furniture or heavy curtains which prevent one’s contact ever with the rays of the Sun. His staff ushered me into his office. I greeted him with a “Lal Salam”. While greeting him I remarked that I am extremely happy to meet “the Mahatma Gandhi of Kerala”. Smiling, he said ”By calling me Gandhi, you are depriving me of my revolutionary ideology”. I explained that I was not describing him as Gandhi from ideological perspective but only because of his simple living, which was comparable with that of Mahatma Gandhi. It is a well known fact that Achuthanandan sleeps on a wooden bed, spreading only a bed-sheet on it. When I enquired from the staff as to who else lived with him, I was told that only his wife. His son and other family members, though they are residing in Thiruvananthapuram, don’t live with him. Perhaps he does not want his family members to enjoy the facilities to which he is entitled as leader of the opposition.

After the formal exchange of greetings, I sought his permission to elicit his views on some of the questions agitating my mind.

My first question was, “Don’t you thing the country was facing the threat of Communal forces grabbing power?” He said that the threat was very much there but their onward march can be halted by the unity of secular political forces.

When asked which political parties he considered secular he said, “Of course, the Left is there but there are others also like SP etc.” “What about Mayawati’s BSP?” I asked. “No it is a communal organisation.”

“Do you regard Congress a secular party?”

“No there is hardly any difference between the Congress and BJP. Both the parties are backed by vested interests including big corporate hoses-both national and international. The Congress lacks the guts to face the challenge of communal fascist forces”.

Do you think there is any possibility of merger of CPM and CPI, was my question “We are already working in close collaboration”, he said. My next question was, “In retrospect, do you agree that not allowing Jyoti Basu to become the Prime Minister was an unwise decision?”

“First of all, it was our party’s Polit Bureau’s decision. Since we did not have majority in the Parliament, it would have been difficult to carry out our policies. Obviously Basu could not have acted as per the party programme so there is no regret”, was his reply How does he view Dr. Manmohan Singh continuing as PM without being a member of the Lok Sabha, I asked. He said that best course would be that Parliament should elect the Prime Minister.

“What is the political scenario in Kerala?” was another question.

“The government is neck deep in corruption. Even CM’s office is involved in corrupt activities. All pro-people policies initiated by my government have been abandoned. Most of the public undertaking units are running in a loss. Unemployment has assumed serious proportion.

I was informed that VS as CM (2006-2011) was instrumental in convicting former minister R. Balakrishna Pillai on charges of corruption.

Many of his acts as CM are still recalled by the people. He initiated the Munnar eviction mission. Massive portions of land allegedly grabbed over the years by resort owners and multinational companies like Tata Tea Limited were freed. Later, the demolition team landed in the city of Kochi, and other cities in Kerala and recovered huge parts of land. Through his involvement in social, political issues and continuous fight against corruption and sex, land and lottery mafias, he made lot of enemies. (IPA Service)