In 90s, but not nervous at all

KOCHI: VS Achuthanandan needs to be prompted by his aides and whispered the words he gropes for in the middle of sentences.VS, as he is popularly referred to, tries to make light of his forgetfulness by mimicking his own voice. This used to evoke laughter till a few years ago, but has now become an embarrassment to even his supporters.

But VS still strikes a chord with women and lower-middle class Kerala. VS harbours the dream of becoming the chief minister a third time. During electio neering, he tried to rake up the old rivalry against putative CM Pinarayi Vijayan, obliquely stating that “enemies“ were afoot in Malampuzha constituency from where he was seeking a fourth consecutive term.
The LDF won a thumping majority in Kerala without playing up the “VS factor“ like they did in 2011, when he was at the height of his popularity . VS's attraction to voters grew out of his outspoken nature and irrepressible manner of governance, in which he wasn't averse to taking on his own party colleagues such as Pinarayi Vijayan. His political rallies draw huge crowds, and his speeches are peppered with rustic jokes and staccato sentences, reminiscent of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray.

His politics of demolition as CM earned him popularity among the masses, but his fundamentalist view on development was often dismissed as outdated by policy planners.

VS has come a long way , working his way up from being a tailor and leading coir factory workers in his native Alappuzha. At 92, VS is still in good health--save his occasional amnesia--and practises yoga for two hours daily . He favours an organic-fruit diet to maintain his physical excellence.