Oommen Chandy, a prominent Indian politician and statesman, held the esteemed position of the 10th Chief Minister of Kerala, serving two terms from 2004 to 2006 and then again from 2011 to 2016. Additionally, he assumed the role of Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly during the period from 2006 to 2011. This information is available on Wikipedia.
Bio/Wiki
Age-79years
Height-5feet 5inch
Weight-70kg(approx.)
Born- 31 October 1943
Birthplace- Kumarakom
Death- 18 July 2023
Profession- Politician
Spouse- Mariamma Ummen
Nationality-Indian
Party- Indian National Congress
Office- Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly since 1970
Family
Born on October 31, 1943, in Kumarakom, Kottayam district, Kerala, Oommen Chandy’s parents were K.O. Chandy and Baby Chandy. Oommen Chandy’s brother, Alex V Chandy.
Wife
On 30th May 1977, Oommen Chandy entered into matrimony with Mariamma Oommen.
Children
They were blessed with three children: a son named Chandy Oommen, along with two daughters named Maria and Achu.
Career
Political Career
Chandy’s political journey commenced through the Kerala Students Union (KSU), where he held the esteemed position of president from 1967 to 1969. Following this, he ascended to become the president of the State Youth Congress in 1970.
Over an impressive span of five decades, Chandy consistently represented the Puthuppally constituency, securing victories in the Kerala Legislative Assembly elections of 1970, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2021. Throughout his tenure as a legislator, he also assumed the role of Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee from 1996 to 1998.
Minister
Chandy has held ministerial positions in the Government of Kerala on four distinct occasions. Firstly, he served as the Minister for Labour from 11th April 1977 to 25th April 1977 in the initial K. Karunakaran Ministry. Subsequently, he retained the same portfolio in the succeeding first A. K. Antony Ministry until 27th October 1978.
Later, Chandy assumed the responsibility of the Home portfolio in the second K. Karunakaran Ministry, serving from 28th December 1981 to 17th March 1982. Once again, he took office as a minister in the fourth K. Karunakaran Ministry on 2nd July 1991. During this period, he held the Finance Portfolio but eventually resigned from the cabinet on 22nd June 1994 as a protest against Karunakaran’s denial of a Rajya Sabha ticket to a factional leader.
Achievement/Awards
In 2013, Oommen Chandy was honored with the prestigious 2013 United Nations Public Service Award in the Asia-Pacific region. He received this distinguished accolade under the category “Preventing and Combating Corruption in the Public Service.” The award ceremony took place on 27th June 2013 in Manama, Bahrain, and the UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Wu Hongbo, had the privilege of presenting the award to him. The recognition was bestowed upon him in recognition of his remarkable efforts in promoting “Transformative e-Government and Innovation: Creating a Better Future for All.”
Controversies
2013 Kerala Solar Panel Scam
During the Second Chandy ministry’s reign, the 2013 Kerala solar panel scam was a major accusation made by the LDF-led opposition. It also became a significant election issue during the 2016 Kerala Legislative Assembly election.
However, in 2018, the Crime Branch appointed by the First Vijayan ministry conducted an investigation and found no evidence against Oommen Chandy in the scam. The state home secretary forwarded a report to the central government, stating that the Crime Branch failed to confirm the veracity of the incident mentioned in the complaint and could not collect any evidence against Chandy. Due to the lack of evidence, the case was eventually handed over to the central agency after multiple attempts by the Kerala Police to prove the allegations against Chandy proved unsuccessful.
Vizhinjam Port Corruption Accusation
Ahead of the 2016 Kerala Legislative Assembly election, the opposition led by CPI(M) accused corruption in the Vizhinjam International Seaport project.
In response, the First Vijayan ministry took action and appointed a three-member judicial commission, headed by Justice C. N. Ramachandran, to investigate the matter in May 2017.
The commission’s report in 2018 concluded that there was no corruption involved in the State’s ambitious project, and no misuse of political power in the port project. According to the commission’s findings, there was no specific evidence or allegations of corruption against any individual, and no one provided any evidence during the investigation. Therefore, the commission did not find any evidence of corruption against anyone involved in the project.
Pattoor Land Case
Ahead of the 2016 Kerala Legislative Assembly election, the LDF-led opposition accused the Pattoor Land Case of corruption.
In February 2018, the Kerala High Court highlighted that the Vigilance had registered the First Information Report (FIR) based on an incorrect report prepared by Jacob Thomas. The court further stated that the claim of the property vesting with the Kerala Water Authority had no supporting document.
As a result of the High Court’s rejection of the case, the UDF government, including Oommen Chandy, received a clean chit, as there was no evidence of their involvement in any corruption.
Palmolein Oil Import Scam
The Palmolein Oil Import Scam (1991–92) involved alleged irregularities in the import of palm olein by the K. Karunakaran-led United Democratic Front government in Kerala, India, facilitated through the Power and Energy Limited Company. The LDF-led opposition accused the government of corruption in 1992.
However, a Vigilance probe conducted in 2011 found no evidence of Oommen Chandy, who served as the finance minister during the 1991-96 period, being involved in the corruption. The vigilance report stated that Chandy had no knowledge of the specific decision to import palmolein through a Singapore-based firm. As a result, Oommen Chandy was exonerated and received a clean chit from the vigilance probe.
Net Worth 2023
Oommen Chandy has net worth of ₹60.92 Lakhs.
Cause Of Death
Oommen Chandy, the former Chief Minister of Kerala, passed away in Bengaluru early on Tuesday. The news of his demise was shared by his son, Chandy Oommen, in a brief Facebook post simply stating, “Appa has passed away.”
A prominent leader of the Congress party, Oommen Chandy served as Kerala’s chief minister on two occasions and was 79 years old at the time of his passing. He had been undergoing treatment at a health facility in Bengaluru due to his prolonged illness with cancer.
The Kerala Congress President, K Sudhakaran, expressed his condolences, referring to Oommen Chandy as a king who triumphed over the world with the power of ‘love.’ Sudhakaran’s tweet conveyed deep sadness for the loss of this legendary figure, whose influence touched the lives of countless individuals, leaving an everlasting impact on their souls.