Senior Congressman P Chidambaram said on Friday that although his party and the CPI(M) disagree with one another in Kerala, it does not stop him from extending his sincere congratulations to former chief minister V S Achuthanandan on reaching the age of 100. Chidambaram praised Achuthanandan in a statement, calling him a “warhorse” who bravely battled for causes he felt were in the best interests of the populace. Achuthanandan, a seasoned CPI(M) leader and former chief minister of Kerala, turned 100 on Friday. From 2006 to 2011, Achuthanandan was Kerala’s chief minister. Chidambaram stated in his statement that the Congress and the CPI(M) are rivals and have historically been at odds in Kerala and other regions of the nation.
“But that does not come in the way of my warmly felicitating Shri V S Achuthanandan, former Chief Minister of Kerala, on his attaining the age of 100 years today,” he stated.
“He (Achuthanandan) was and is a warhorse who fought valiantly for the causes that he believed were for the good of the people,” Chidambaram stated.
The Congress leader wished him health in the years to come.