Former personal staff of VS recounts how a phone call from the veteran saved his life

Alappuzha: "If VS hadn’t called that day, I wouldn’t be alive today." These were the first words spoken by former personal staff member Latheesh B Chandran upon hearing the death news of VS Achuthanandan. Latheesh had become a figure of widespread contempt after being named as an accused in the case of burning the P Krishna Pillai memorial in Kannarkkat, Kanjikuzhi. Just as he was on the verge of ending his life, preparing to write a suicide note, an unexpected phone call from VS gave him a new lease of life.

Eleven years ago, Latheesh attempted suicide when he was alone at home. "The party was my life. I had done nothing wrong. If the party didn’t want me, I couldn’t go on living." Just as he was penning these lines, the phone of VS’s PA, Vinod, rang. He ignored the first call. When it rang again, he felt compelled to answer. It was VS on the line. "You must come and see me. I know you wouldn’t do anything wrong." After hearing those words, Latheesh says he abandoned the thought of suicide.

When Latheesh was eventually acquitted, it became clear that VS had been right all along. Although it was later revealed that Latheesh and his friends were victims of internal factionalism, the party refused to revisit the Krishna Pillai Memorial arson case. Even though the party had declared that those acquitted by the court would be reinstated, this never materialised.

Latheesh is now a member of Ward 12 in the Muhamma Panchayat, elected as an independent candidate. He first became close to VS while serving as general secretary of the university union, a bond that only deepened with time. VS even attended Latheesh’s wedding and personally handed him the garland during the ceremony.

Latheesh has often been sidelined for his pro-VS stance. He also opened a public laboratory in Muhamma as a birthday gift for VS. A picture of VS is displayed prominently at the entrance, and it will now be known as the VS Memorial Public Lab.

CPM is not a party that trashes its own roots – VS

VS was firmly convinced that Latheesh, named as the first accused in the arson case involving the P Krishna Pillai memorial on October 31, 2013, was innocent. It was for this reason that VS publicly opposed the party’s action in isolating Latheesh.

"The CPM is not a party that trashes its own roots. The party’s response to the Krishna Pillai memorial incident was based solely on what the police said.

Disciplinary action against the workers was unjustified," said VS during a visit to Alappuzha in December 2014 to inaugurate the reception meeting for the CPM state conference. Latheesh added that it was after this statement that VS began to face isolation within the party.