Oommen Chandy, Former Kerala Chief Minister & Congress Leader, Dies at 79

Oommen Chandy served as the CM of Kerala from 2004-2006 and again from 2011-2016.

Oommen Chandy.

(Photo Courtesy: Facebook)

Former Kerala Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy passed away in Bengaluru in the early hours of Tuesday, 18 July, his family said.

The death of the two-time chief minister was announced by his son through a Facebook post. "Appa has passed away," Chandy Oommen, his son, said.

He was 79.

Expressing his condolences, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said, "We were elected to the Legislative Assembly in the same year. It was at the same stage that we came to the political fore through student life. We led public life at the same time and it is extremely difficult to bid him farewell. Oommen Chandy was a capable administrator and a person who was closely involved in people's lives," news agency ANI reported.

The Kerala Congress also took to Twitter to express their grief, saying:

"Extremely sad to bid farewell to our most beloved leader and former CM Shri. Oommen Chandy. One of the most popular and dynamic leaders of Kerala, Chandy sir was loved across generations and sections of the population. The Congress family will miss his leadership and energy."

Chandy served as the CM of Kerala from 2004-2006 and again from 2011-2016.