By PTI

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Veteran CPI(M) leader and former Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan turned 96 on Sunday and celebrated the occasion by cutting a cake.

In the persence of close family members and well wishers, Achutanandan cut a cake and his wife gave him a small piece to mark the occasion.

As leaders from various political parties, friends, well-wishers and media personnel turned up to wish him, Achutanandan thanked everyone.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan was among those who extended birthday wishes to the senior leader.

"Conveyed my heartiest wishes to Shri V S Achutanandan, former Chief Minister and senior leader on his 96th birthday. Shri V S Achutanandan is one of the most respected political figures of Kerala," Khan tweeted.

The Governor would be visiting Achutanandan tomorrow to wish him personally.

CPI(M) state secretary, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Senior Congress leader A K Antony, telephonically wished Achutanandan on his birthday.

KPCC President Mullapally Ramachandran also wished the senior leader.

Born on October 20, 1923 in a working-class family in Punnapra in Alappuzha district, VS had to end his education at the primary level and was soon attracted to the trade union movement in Alappuzha district.

A founder leader of the CPI(M), Velikkakath Sankaran Achuthanandan, popularly known as VS Achutanandan, whose life has been linked to the history of Communist movement in the state, including Punnapra-Vayalar uprising, is the oldest living Communist in India.

He was among the 32 leaders who walked out of the historical CPI national council meet in 1964 to form the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

Achutanandan, who is the chairman of the Adminstrative Reforms Committee, had addressed party workers at an election convention at nearby Vattiyoorkavu, which is among the five assembly constitutencies where bypolls are being held on Monday.

VS, who had served as the Leader of Opposition and Chief Minister, was the star campaigner of the CPI(M)-led LDF in 2016 assembly elections, which saw the front riding to power in the southern state with a massive mandate of 91 seats.

After the assembly results came out, the CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury had described VS as the "Fidel Castro of Kerala" who would continue to guide and inspire the party, while naming Pinarayi Vijayan as the Chief Minister.