V S Achuthanandan's farewell journey slowed down by emotions

Thiruvananthapuram: Thousands of people were thronging on either side of the national highway from Thiruvananthapuram to Alappuzha till late on Tuesday evening to bid farewell to former Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan. 

Party workers and common people raised slogans praising VS, as he is popularly known, as 'Viplava Sooryan' (revolutionary sun), 'Kanne Karale' (our eyes and liver) and  'Viplava Nayakan' (revolutionary leader).

Owing to the huge turn out of people the funeral procession that needs to cover 150 kilometres from Thiruvananthapuram to Alappuzha could cover hardly 20 kilometres in five hours. The funeral is scheduled to be held at his home town Alappuzha by Wednesday afternoon.

Even as Achuthanandan was remaining away from active politics for nearly ten years, even many youngsters could be seen turning up to offer last respects to Achuthanandan. For most of them Achuthanandan is their 'Achu mamam' (Achu uncle). His non compromising stand against corruption and injustice made  VS dearer to people cutting across generations.

People turned up in large numbers to pay their last rites to the bereaved leader. 

"We are privileged that we could live during the times of VS. We can't expect any other leader with this much commitment towards the common man," a young woman who turned up to offer last respects to Achuthanandan in Thiruvananthapuram said.

Many turned emotional while recollecting the bold stand that Achuthanandan took to protect the interest of the common man. While many hailed him as the 'king of common man', many described him as the last real comrade. Some had personal experiences to share on how Achuthanandan's interventions solved their long lasting problems.

Earlier during the day the body was kept at the Government Secretariat darbar hall from Tuesday morning for the public to pay last respects. .

Governor Rajendra Arlekar and many other prominent personalities paid last respects to Achuthanandan at the Durbar hall. By afternoon the funeral procession to Alappuzha started.

Achuthanandan, who died at the age of 101 on Monday, was keeping off from mainstream politics over the last several years owing to age related illness.