Former Kerala Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy passed away at Chinmaya Hospital in Bengaluru at 4.25 am on July 18. He was aged 79 and had been undergoing treatment for cancer.
“Appa has passed away,” his son Chandy Oommen posted on Facebook. The Congress veteran had been undergoing treatment for cancer in Bengaluru.
Oommen Chandy represented the Puthupally constituency in Kottayam district for more than 50 years. He was the MLA from Puthupally.
Chandy first represented Puthupally in 1970 when he was the Youth Congress president. He became a minister for the first time in the K Karunakaran cabinet in 1977. He was appointed Chief Minister twice. He had handled the finance portfolio in the State. He had also been the Leader of Opposition.
His programme “Janasambarka paripady” which was launched to hear people’s complaints when he was the Chief Minister was very popular.
Following his sickness, he had been undergoing treatment in the USA and then he continued his treatment in Bengaluru. Kerala Congress President K Sudhakaran condoled the death of the former Kerala Chief Minister.
“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,” Sudhakaran tweeted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed anguish at the death of senior Congress leader.
“In the passing away of Shri Oommen Chandy Ji, we have lost a humble and dedicated leader who devoted his life to public service and worked towards the progress of Kerala. I recall my various interactions with him, particularly when we both served as Chief Ministers of our respective states, and later when I moved to Delhi. My thoughts are with his family and supporters in this sorrowful hour. May his soul rest in peace,” PM Modi tweeted.
In his first response to former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s demise, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on July 18, shared that the former was a capable administrator and a person who was closely involved in people’s lives.
Expressing grief over the former Chief Minister’s death, Vijayan said, “Oommen Chandy was a capable administrator and a person who was closely involved in people’s lives.” Vijayan shared that both Chandy and him were elected to the Legislative Assembly in the same year and had come to politics during the same time through student life.
“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 its extremely difficult to bid him farewell,” the Kerala Chief Minister said.
Kerala Government on July 18, declared a two-day State mourning for all schools, Colleges and Government offices in lieu of paying respects to the former Chief Minister.
Oommen Chandy is survived by his wife Mariamma and children Maria Oommen, Chandy Oommen and Achu Oommen.
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