Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 28 (IANS): Ninety-eight-year-old V.S.Achuthanandan, the only living person who walked out of the undivided Communist party in 1964, which paved the way for the present day Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), will for the first time, miss the party conference that opens in Kochi on Tuesday.

The 23rd edition of the state conference will conclude on March 4.

The veteran Communist who has served in the capacities of a chief minister, leader of opposition, party state secretary and a politburo member is currently battling health issues at his son's residence here after recovering from Covid-19.

Since the outbreak of Covid pandemic in 2020, the most popular present day Communist leader in the state has remained indoors.

Due to it, he could not venture out and was conspicuous by his absence in the 2021 Assembly polls, unlike in the 2016 elections, when he led the Left Democratic Front, only to lose out the Chief Minister's post to Pinarayi Vijayan.

A media critic, on condition of anonymity, said after receiving this jolt from the party, he was indeed upset.

"He probably felt he would be given another year and then be replaced, but it did not happen and instead, he was given cabinet rank and made the chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission-Kerala.

Soon, age also caught up with him and even though he desired to return to his home village in Alappuzha, for medical reasons, he decided to remain with his son here. If he makes a surprise visit, which is a remote possibility, it will definitely become the most popular event at the four-day meeting, which is now being termed as "Pinarayi Vijayan event," said the critic who did not wished to be identified.

Apparently, with the veteran missing the state conference, the same might apply to the party Congress to be held at Kannur in April.