Congress candidate Chandy Oommen reached the polling booth in Puthuppally wearing black, calling it a sign of protest and the election day as one of the most difficult for his family. After casting his vote at booth number 140 in Georgian Public School along with his mother Mariamma Oommen and sister Maria, he spoke to reporters about his concerns.
He said his father, former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, had been treated unfairly by the government for years. According to him, the events surrounding the election felt like a continuation of that injustice. He also criticised the decision to name an incomplete mini civil station in Puthuppally after his father, saying it was disrespectful.
Chandy Oomen’s statement
“Is this how we should be treated, even after his death?” he asked, expressing disappointment over the move. Chandy Oommen also raised issues about development in the constituency. He said several projects, including bridges and a super-specialty hospital, have not been completed due to lack of funds. He claimed that many of these projects remain in the same condition as when his father’s government left office.
He further said that people across Kerala were unhappy with the current government and would show their anger through voting. Referring to past investigations into his father’s tenure, he said authorities had spent years trying to find fault but could not prove wrongdoing.
“For us, this is a very painful day. Wearing black is our way of showing that pain and protest,” he said, adding that many people were also raising broader concerns during the election.
Who is Chandy oomen?
Chandy Oommen, born on March 1, 1986, is currently the MLA from the Puthuppally constituency in Kerala, a position he has held since September 2023.He is a member of the Indian National Congress (INC). Before becoming an MLA, he served as the Chairman of the National Outreach Cell of the Indian Youth Congress.
By profession, he is a lawyer and has been practicing at the Supreme Court of India since 2016. In September 2024, he was also appointed as an empanelled advocate for the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in Kerala.
Chandy Oommen has a strong academic background. He completed his BA (Hons) and MA in History from St. Stephen’s College in Delhi. He later earned his law degree (LLB) from Delhi University and an LLM in Criminology from the National Law University, Delhi. He also attended a summer course at the London School of Economics (LSE).
He is the son of former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who served twice and represented Puthuppally for nearly 50 years. After his father’s death in 2023, Chandy Oommen contested and won the Puthuppally by-election with a record margin of over 38,000 votes.
In 2022, he also took part in Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, walking barefoot for around 4,000 km. However, he had to leave the march early due to his father’s illness. He is also the UDF candidate at Puthuppally this year.