Former Chief Minister of Kerala Oommen Chandy has passed away at the age of 79. The senior Congress leader who was being treated for cancer, took his last breath at a hospital in Bengaluru on July 18.
His son Chandy Oommen announced the sad news through his Facebook post.
The Congress veteran leader served two terms as the CM of Kerala. He was also a long-time legislator representing the Puthupally constituency in Kottayam district and was an immensely popular figure.
He led the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) ministries in Kerala from August 31 2004 to May 12, 2006, and from May 18, 2011 to May 20, 2016.
Chandy was born to Karottu Vallkalil KV Chandy and Baby Chandy and became active in politics through Kerala Students Union and Youth Congress. During his long political career, he served as a Labour’s Minister in 1977 in the K Karunakaram Ministry. He also held the office of Home Ministry under Karunakaram cabinet from December 1981 to March 1982. He held Finance portfolio in UDF ministry of 1991.