Veteran Oommen Chandy back to ‘business’, sees a stream of visitors

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 3 (SocialNews.XYZ) Former Congress Chief Minister Oommen Chandy after a hiatus is back to his business as the crowds at his residence have started to increase.

For the past nearly three months he was in Germany and then for several weeks he was convalescing in Bengaluru for treatment for throat cancer which affected his voice. On Monday he returned to his house in Thiruvananthapuram.

Speaking to IANS, Chandy said he was fine and has got back his voice.

"I will continue to be under treatment and at the same time will be back to what I love doing - to be in the midst of my people as I am committed to them forever. My travels will be restricted, but will be visiting my constituency - (Puthupally in Kottayam district) as that's where I should be," said Chandy.

On Tuesday morning as in the past prior to his falling ill, a group of students from a nearby college was there and when his personal assistant informed him about the students, he asked them to come in. For a brief while he spoke to them and took pictures with him.

Then came his long-standing aide and former party legislator Thampanoor Ravi, who himself is recovering from post-Covid complications.

Chandy's wife Mariamma was enquiring about Ravi's health, while he was busy with experts who had come to brief him about the latest ongoing issue of 'buffer zone' that has become a raging issue in the state.

Chandy, who is known for his excellent memory, was seen recalling the actions that his government took (2011-16) while in office. He was seen asking for more information as very soon he is expected to come out with his observations on it and will be meeting the media.

In between he was told that Governor Arif Mohammed Khan might be coming to meet him to pay a courtesy call.

Chandy, last week got a huge boost when the CBI gave him a clean chit in the allegations of sexual assault levelled by the solar scam accused woman.

Soon after his arrival from Bengaluru, he told the media that it would have been better had the government given importance to the police report in the case.

Incidentally, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan just before the April 2021 Assembly polls gave the nod for her request for a CBI probe.

Chandy in October, 2023 with the completion of 18,728 days in the Legislative Assembly, emerged as the longest serving MLA in Kerala edging out late K.M. Mani, who passed away in 2019.

The record was till now held by Mani.

Both Mani and Chandy have never lost their sitting seats after they started to contest the polls.

While Mani represented the Pala seat from 1967, Chandy began from 1970 representing the Puthuppally constituency, both of which are in Kottayam district.

Chandy, has won all the elections that he contested from 1970 and is now into his 12th successive term.

Source: IANS