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Tributes paid to former Kerala Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy after he passed away at Chinmaya Hospital in Bengaluru at 4.25 am today. The 79-year-old leader was undergoing treatment for cancer for a long time and his health was deteriorating. While leaders from all walks of life mourned his demise, one thing that came to the fore was that no one hesitated to call him a ‘people’s leader’. Be it Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan or Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, they expressed grief over the demise of the veteran Congress leader.
His fans often share a heartwarming anecdote that happened during his chief ministership between 2011 and 2016. It was during the inauguration ceremony of a school building in northern Kerala when the incident took place. After the ceremony, as he was walking back to his car, a young boy called his name. Without hesitation, Chandy stayed in his place and approached the boy.
The boy told that his friend and classmate had a heartfelt wish that he should also have a house, because at present he does not have any. Moved by the young boy’s plea, Chandy decided to take action. He collected all the necessary details, thoroughly investigated the case and found that it was indeed a worthy case. Determined to bring about change, he took the matter into account of a government scheme to provide housing for the needy.
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Chandy’s commitment to the cause did not waver, despite his transition to the role of an MLA after his chief ministerial stint. When the house was finally completed, he made it a point to visit the family in person, proving his genuine care and concern for those in need. This incident stands as a testament to Chandy’s compassion and dedication to bettering the lives of the people she served.
Oommen Chandy represented the Puthupalli constituency of Kottayam district for more than 50 years. He was the MLA from Puthupalli. Chandy first represented Puthupalli in 1970 when he was the president of the Youth Congress. He became a minister for the first time in 1977 in the K Karunakaran cabinet. He was appointed Chief Minister twice. He had handled the finance department in the state. He has also been the leader of the opposition. (with agency inputs)
