Profile

The Opposition Leader of Kerala Assembly, Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan is no intellectual giant like EMS Namboodiripad, nor does he have the charisma of EK Nayanar. And unlike these former CPI (M) chief ministers from upper caste and feudal families, he is from a lower caste and class.

But today, this high-school dropout is the most powerful man in Kerala politics, thanks to his phenomenal organisational skills. He is convener of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and despite having no ideological airs, is the editor of party organ Desabhimani.

This veteran of the legendary Punnapra-Vayalar peasant uprising and politburo member for a decade now-has never even been a minister in his six decades of politics.

"VS" missed the big job on two occasions despite being projected as the CPI (M) chief ministerial aspirant. First, in 1991, when the LDF lost the election, thanks to the post-Rajiv Gandhi sympathy wave. In 1996, Achuthanandan was defeated in Mararikkulam, where the CPI (M) had never tasted defeat, mainly due to the infighting in CPI (M).

For decades, Achuthanandan has remained a loyal soldier of the Communist Party of India-Marxist. Failures, he claims, have not made him a recluse. But instilled in him, hope and abundant political energy.

That was why the CPI (M) had decided to project Achuthanandan as the party's best bet to replace Chief Minister EK Nayanar, who preferred to stay away from the last assembly election because of his age.

But Achuthanandan failed to take the Left Democratic Front to victory. The odds were many -- the incumbency factor, frequent political violence in northern Kerala, crash in the prices of agricultural produces and recession in industrial growth and information technology.

He hasn't given up hope to be next CM. Achuthanandan is not nervous. The leader of the common man is never nervous, he points out.