“Oommen Chandy is only one”: Mammootty pays tribute to ex-Kerala CM

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], July 19 : Malayalam actor Mammootty on Tuesday penned an emotional note on the demise of former Kerala Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy.

Taking to his Facebook handle, Mammootty shared a picture with ex-CM Oommen Chandy along with a lengthy note written in a regional language.

Sharing his experience meeting Oommen Chandy for the first time.

The note read, “An extraordinary personality who showed that the ordinary has so much power. I have never seen Oommen Chandy except in the middle of a crowd.. The last time I saw him, there was a bunch of people with him. He was in the assembly when I was a student. A person who reached heights at a young age. Yet he called me like a friend to the Puthupally church festival and walked with me a shoulder to shoulder. The weight of actor Mammootty, who is struggling to carry the person I am, has melted away while I was walking beside him. Among the locals,  I was considered as the friend of Kunjkunj. "I am Oommen Chandy" as he addressed me and who was my dear friend. “

He added, “He was so dear that he was just one phone call away .. a very powerful leader. Once our 'Care and Share' scheme was struggling to meet medical expenses for 600 children. Then Oommen Chandy, who was the leader of the opposition, agreed to sponsor the cost of 100 children's surgeries using CSR funds. When the 100th child recovered and left the hospital, Oommen Chandy, the chief minister, came to see him.”

“On the third day after taking the oath, he unexpectedly came to my house in Kochi to have lunch with me. I recorded only one disagreement with him that day. "This wandering around without regard to one's own health must be controlled" A smile was the answer. Even my character in the film 'Pranchiyettan’ says "Oommen Chandy is only one"... A lot of memories together.. A thousand experiences.. Not writing much,” the note stated.

The actor concluded by saying, “Another experience that had to be written. I was commissioned to write the introduction to his autobiography.  Let's write the lines to be written here "No one has given a doctorate to Ooman Chandy. If it is given, it will be for the love of humanity...”

Oommen Chandy passed away in the early hours of Tuesday (July 18) at Chinmaya Hospital in Bengaluru. He was aged 79 and was undergoing treatment for cancer. The news was shared by his son on social media platform.

"Appa has passed away," his son Chandy Oommen posted on Facebook.

On Wednesday morning, thousands of people came out to accompany the mortal remains of former Kerala CM being taken to his native place in Kottayam City from Thiruvananthapuram.

Chandy's mortal remains were brought to Thiruvananthapuram from Bengaluru on a special flight on Tuesday afternoon. They were kept at various places including Durbar Hall of the state secretariat, St George Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, the KPCC headquarters and his residence in the state capital for the public to pay their last respects.

Supporters of the late CM gathered at the party office in Thiruvananthapuram to pay their tribute.

The Kerala government on Tuesday announced a two-day state mourning as a mark of respect to the former CM.

Earlier recalling Chandy’s journey as a politician CM Pinarayi Vijayan said, “Oommen Chandy entered politics through student movement and continued to possess the same strength and energy that he had when he was a student leader and carried out his functions in the same manner till the end of his life.”

"In the passing away of Shri Oommen Chandy Ji, we have lost a humble and dedicated leader who devoted his life to public service and worked towards the progress of Kerala. I recall my various interactions with him, particularly when we both served as Chief Ministers of our respective states and later when I moved to Delhi," PM Modi said in a tweet on Tuesday.

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