Oommen Chandy, former Kerala chief minister and Congress veteran, passes away at 79
Congress veteran and former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy passed away, announced his family as well as Kerala Congress president K Sudhakaran on Tuesday. He was 79.
“The tale of the king who triumphed over the world with the power of ‘love’ finds its poignant end. Today, I am deeply saddened by the loss of a legend, @Oommen_Chandy. He touched the lives of countless individuals, and his legacy will forever resonate within our souls. RIP!” Sudhakaran tweeted.
Chandy, who served as chief minister of Kerala twice, died in Bengaluru in the early hours of Tuesday, his family announced. The death of the former Kerala chief minister was announced by his son, Chandy Oommen, in a Facebook post.
“Appa has passed away”, Oommen wrote on his Facebook page, without elaborating.
Chandy, who had not been keeping well for quite some time, had been staying in Bengaluru for treatment at a health facility.
The Congress Kerala said Chandy was loved across generations and sections of the population.
“Extremely sad to bid farewell to our most beloved leader and former CM Shri. Oommen Chandy. One of the most popular and dynamic leaders of Kerala, Chandy sir was loved across generations and sections of the population. The Congress family will miss his leadership and energy,” the Congress Kerala tweeted.
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan also expressed deep grief over the death of Chandy.
“We were elected to the Legislative Assembly in the same year. It was at the same stage that we came to the political fore through student life. We led public life at the same time and it is extremely difficult to bid him farewell. Oommen Chandy was a capable administrator and a person who was closely involved in people’s lives,” said Vijayan.
Who was Oommen Chandy?
Oommen Chandy served as the Kerala chief minister twice – from 2004-06 and 2011-16.
The veteran Congress leader began his stint as a legislator by winning in the 1970 state assembly elections at the age of 27. He later went on to win 11 consecutive polls since then.
Chandy represented only his home constituency Puthuppally in the past five decades.
In 2022, he became the longest-serving member of the state assembly by representing Puthupally, in the House for 18,728 days. He surpassed the record of former Kerala Congress (M) supremo late KM Mani.
Chandy has served as the minister for four times in various cabinets during his political career and as the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly four times.