Thiruvananthapuram, July 19 : The funeral procession carrying the mortal remains of former two-time Kerala Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Oommen Chandy began from this Capital City to Kottayam at 7.30 am on Wednesday.The cremation will take place at 3 pm at St George Orthodox Church at Puthipally on Thursday, sources said.The procession, on a KSRTC low-floor bus, was accompanied by supporters, party workers, and leaders, including senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, Opposition leader VD Satheesan, and the family members of the departed leader.The funeral procession was heading to Kottayam via MC Road, and a large number of people were seen waiting on both sides of the road in many places to pay their last respects to their mass leader.The body will be kept at the Thirunakkara Maidan and the KPCC office in Kottayam this evening before being taken to his ancestral house at Puthuppally by late evening.In the wake of the funeral procession, traffic regulations were imposed in Kottayam and Puthupally on Wednesday and Thursday.The administration declared a holiday this afternoon for schools and colleges in Kottayam.
The former Chief Minister died at a private hospital in Bengaluru at 4.25 am on Tuesday following a prolonged illness. Later, his body was airlifted to Kerala’s Capital on Tuesday afternoon.Later, the body was brought to his residence, “Puthupally House,” at Jagathy in Thiruvananthapuram. After that, it was brought to the Secretariat Durbar Hall for public tributes. Then, it was taken to St George Orthodox Cathedral in the City for paying tribute by believers.On Tuesday afternoon, a large number of people thronged to his house, Durbar Hall and the KPCC office for paying last respects to their departed leader.After that, it was brought to Indira Bhavan, the head office of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) in the State, for paying tributes by the party workers and the public.The former Congress Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who completed 53 years as a MLA, was the most popular face of the Congress in Kerala, representing his home town Puthupally in Kottayam district since 1970.He also served as a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in charge of Andhra Pradesh.Chandy was the unit president of KSU (Kerala Students Union) at St George High School, Puthupally, and the State President of the organisation during 1967-69. He was elected president of the State Youth Congress in 1970.Chandy completed his pre university course from CMS College, Kottayam, and his BA Economics from St Berchmans College, Changanassery. He took a bachelor’s degree in law (LLB) from Government Law College, Ernakulam.
He was the Minister for Labour from April 11, 1977 to April 25, 1977 in the first K. Karunakaran Ministry and continued holding the same portfolio in the succeeding first AK Antony Ministry till October 27, 1978. He was in the charge of the home portfolio in the second K Karunakaran Ministry from December 28, 1981 to March 17, 1982. Again, he was sworn in as a minister in the fourth K Karunakaran Ministry on July 2, 1991. He was in charge of the Finance Portfolio and resigned from the cabinet on June 22, 1994, due to difference with the Chief Minister.In 2004, following the resignation of AK Antony as Chief Minister due to the Congress party’s poor performance in Lok Sabha elections and factional politics, Chandy became his successor for a short duration (August 2004 to May 2006).Chandy was the Opposition leader in the 12th Kerala Legislative Assembly. Under his leadership, UDF marked victories in the Lok Sabha Election 2009, gaining 16 out of 20 parliament constituencies in Kerala, and the Local Body Election in 2010. In the history of Kerala politics, it’s the first time that the UDF got an upper hand in local body elections.Chandy secured a slender margin in the 2011 assembly election and became the Chief Minister for the second time. Congress-led UDF candidates won 72 seats against 68 for the LDF (Left Democratic Front)Earlier, the Kerala Government declared a holiday on Tuesday. A three-day state of mourning is also being observed as a mark of respect for the former Chief Minister.There were reports that the Government is yet to take a decision on providing a gun salute to the departed leader, as he earlier expressed his desire not to be given official honours at the funeral.(UNI)