Achuthanandan fire still pulls the crowds

At 11 am,a few hundred people have gathered at Puthupariyaram in Achuthanandans constituency of Malampuzha in Palakkad,from where he is seeking a third term. Curiosity abounds as many in the crowd,including elders,have never seen VS though he has been the local legislator for 10 years. L Vijith,20,has seen him only on TV. Kandan,a driver by profession,says he is pro-Left but has not yet decided whether to vote for VS. I have had a bitter experience with local CPM leaders. How can I forget their arrogance for the sake of VS?

No CPM leader of state or district relevance other than N N Krishnadas,former MP and now his poll strategist,is accompanying VS. Krishnadas begins addressing the crowd. While he is speaking,Achuthanandan steps out of an SUV and into a jostling crowd. Awe is on display now as little children line up to shake hand with him and others click images on their mobile phones.

A sharp,short address on corruption follows,with a reference to Anna Hazare. That Anna Hazare had to fast for four days to get the Lok Pal Bill accepted by the government shows the extent of corruption. Vote for the LDF to jail those who feast on the public money and rape our sisters.

VS does not talk about development despite being the local MLA. Saluting the crowd the Communist way,he leaves for the next venue,Kannadi on the outskirts of Palakkad district.

A larger crowd is waiting. The previous day,Rahul Gandhi had mocked him for his age; today,Achuthanandan looks recharged with energy and enthusiasm.

I am not in favour of revenge politics as A K Antony has alleged. My problem is with those who stomach public money and ravage minor girls. My fight against them will continue, he tells the crowd who are now on their feet and raising slogans.

At Kuzhalmandam,where the crowd is even larger even in the noon,VS makes no preface before taking up corruption and sex offences in a single sweep. He recalls his fight against the sandalwood mafia when he was Opposition leader. I went to a sandal oil factory and asked the manager for a piece of sandal. I placed the sandal piece close to my nose. No smell. Then,I pushed it into my nose. No smell.

Many in the crowd start to whistle through their fingers. It appears to encourage VS,who goes on,I caught the manager by the neck and asked,Are you cheating me? He confessed that the sandalwood trees were being illegally cut down from the forest.

The shift of subject to sex offenders is sudden. As money from illegal dealings started flowing,the industries minister IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty wanted minor girls. His wife was not enough for him.

Amid the whistling and the applauding,many start leaving. They have had what they came for; VS has exhausted his famous weapons. It is like an audience leaving a movie after having seen a much-awaited scene or a fight featuring their idol.

VS closes the day at Mundur,where the crowd includes not only locals but farm workers from nearby constituencies who want a glimpse of the leader.