VS @ 100

V S Achuthanandan, The man of many records

V S Achuthanandan, the veteran Communist leader who completes 100 years on Friday (October 20, 2023), has several records to his name. Here are a few of them:

The eldest Assembly member
Achuthanandan currently holds the record of being the eldest member ever in the history of the Kerala Legislative Assembly. V S was 97 years, six months and 13 days old (35,625 days) when he stepped down as a legislator upon completion of the tenure of the 14th Assembly on May 3, 2021. He surpassed K R Gouri Amma to establish the record on August 18, 2010. Gouri Amma became the eldest member in the history of the Kerala Legislative Assembly when she overtook P R Kurup on October 31, 2004. V S Achuthanandan served as a member of the assembly on seven occasions for a period of 34 years, 7 months and 21 days (12,625 days).

Eldest Chief Minister; seventh in terms of tenure
V S Achuthanandan is the eldest person ever to become the Chief Minister of Kerala. While taking the oath of office on May 18, 2006, he was 82 years, 6 months, and 25 days old (30,158 days). Interestingly, none of the other Chief Ministers in Kerala were this old even while demitting their office. E K Nayanar was 81 years, 4 months, and 28 days old while stepping down as the Chief Minister on May 17, 2001 (29,735 days). In terms of tenure as Chief Minister, E K Nayanar served the longest period -- 4009 days across three terms, followed by Congress leader K Karunakaran, who served for 3246 across four terms. Pinarayi Vijayan, who has held the position for 2704 days till October 20, 2023, stands at the third position. The others in the list are -- C Achutha Menon – 2640 days in two terms, Oommen Chandy -2459 days in two terms, A K Antony – 2177 days in three terms. Pinarayi Vijayan, meanwhile, holds the record for serving the longest uninterrupted stint as the Chief Minister of Kerala.

Ministry: Third position
Achuthanandan served as the Chief Minister for an exact period of five years (1,826 days). Having taken the oath of office on May 18, 2006, the Achuthanandan ministry stepped down on May 14, 2011, following an electoral loss. He, however, continued to lead the caretaker ministry till May 18. The second Achutha Menon ministry from October 4, 1970, to March 25, 1977, which was offered an additional term during the Emergency period ( 2364 days/ 6 years 5 months and 21 days ), and the second Oommen Chandy ministry from May 18, 2011, to May 25, 2016 (1834 days/ 5 years and seven days) are the only other cabinets that could complete five years in office. As many as 23 cabinets under 12 Chief Ministers have so far come to power in Kerala.

First among the Opposition leaders
Achuthanandan has served as the Opposition leader of Kerala for the longest period ever. He held the post for a total of 14 years, one month and five days across the 9th, 11th, and 13th state Assemblies (5,150 days). While serving in the capacity, he overtook EMS (4555 days / 12 years, 5 months, and 21 days) on October 3, 2014, to own this record.

24 ministers: Second position
The Achuthanandan ministry, which came to power in 2006 with 19 ministers, including the Chief Minister, had seen a total of 24 persons assuming charge as ministers on different occasions. As it completed the term, the cabinet consisted of 20 ministers. Only the Karunakaran ministry, which took off with 19 ministers in 1982 and ended with 16 in 1987, could accommodate an even higher number of persons as ministers (26).