CPI(M) Addresses Controversy Over Late V.S.’s ‘Capital Punishment’ Remark

Quick Summary

• CPI(M) faced controversy surrounding the late leader V.S. Achuthanandan, who passed away at 101 on july 21, 2025.
• Allegations originated from former CPI(M) legislator Pirappancode Murali, claiming harsh criticism of Achuthanandan during the 2015 State conference in Alappuzha, including a recommendation for “capital punishment” against him.
• murali attributed this alleged rhetoric to accusations that Achuthanandan promoted individualism over party ideology.
• CPI(M) State Secretary M.V. Govindan dismissed these claims as “pure nonsense” and accused Murali of seeking publicity for an upcoming memoir while criticizing “right-wing media.”
• Former MP Suresh Kurup seemingly endorsed Murali’s allegations via an opinion piece in a Malayalam daily, citing a young woman leader’s comments at the conference targeting Achuthanandan.
• The allegations were rejected by General Education Minister and other state Committee members like Kadakampally Surendran as false and politically motivated attempts to discredit rising party leaders such as M. Swaraj.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The controversy surrounding V.S. Achuthanandan highlights tensions within the CPI(M) regarding leadership dynamics and intra-party handling of dissent or criticism during notable events like conferences. While current leaders have dismissed accusations outright as baseless or opportunistic attempts to gain attention, this dispute reflects wider challenges in managing legacies within ideologically driven political organizations.

Public grief for a respected figure like Achuthanandan inevitably brings scrutiny of past actions involving him, which could politically implicate the party if not addressed transparently-even if briefly disruptive or exaggerated by external forces such as media narratives.

This episode also underscores the intersection between legacy politics and contemporary leadership struggles-likely affecting internal morale given conflicting views aired by members (past vs present). For Kerala’s political landscape primarily involving CPI(M), mitigating such controversies swiftly while projecting unity will be critical in maintaining public trust amid ideological attacks from opposing groups.

Read more: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/vs-achuthanandan-a-life-of-conscience-and-courage/article69841907.ece