"Congress failed to read public pulse": Orthodox church on Chandy Oommen’s cabinet exclusion

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church has expressed strong disappointment over the exclusion of Chandy Oommen from the newly formed UDF cabinet, stating that the Congress leadership failed to gauge the public sentiment.

Dr. Yuhanon Mar Diascoros Metropolitan, head of the Church’s media wing, noted that the public widely anticipated Chandy Oommen’s induction into the ministry.

"Chandy Oommen should not be viewed merely as a member of our Church; he is the son of the late Oommen Chandy. He is a dynamic young leader who secured a massive majority through a distinct and impactful election campaign, successfully fulfilling every responsibility entrusted to him. The reasons behind denying him a cabinet post remain unclear," the Metropolitan said, adding that the general public has also been raising similar questions. He urged the leadership to be more attentive to the qualifications and public expectations of rising leaders.

Speaking on the newly sworn-in state government, the Metropolitan remarked that the public holds exceptionally high hopes and expectations. He emphasised that the administration must uphold justice and truth in accordance with the people's aspirations. Addressing the absence of Malankara Church members in the cabinet, he clarified that the Church harbours no resentment. "Our state comprises diverse religions, churches, and communities. If every group demands representation, we would have to appoint all 140 MLAs as ministers," he observed.

The Metropolitan noted that the Chief Minister’s appointment reflected the will of the people. He pointed out that while voters in Kottayam, Idukki, and Pathanamthitta districts handed over erstwhile Left-held constituencies back to the UDF, these regions only received one ministerial berth and the Speaker's post in the new cabinet. He also highlighted that senior political leaders, such as Thiruvananthapuram MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, deserved a position in the ministry.

Touching upon the long-standing church dispute, Dr. Yuhanon Mar Diascoros stated that judicial verdicts must be respected and implemented. He attributed the persistence of the conflict to the reluctance of successive governments to enforce court orders. He expressed hope that the new administration would resolve the issue amicably by bringing both factions together while preserving the essence of the judicial verdicts. The UDF government’s swearing-in ceremony in Thiruvananthapuram was attended by an official delegation from the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. Metropolitans Geevarghese Mar Coorilos, Dr. Gabriel Mar Gregorios, and Dr. Geevarghese Mar Yulios, along with Priest Trustee Fr. Dr. Thomas Varghese Amayil, Lay Trustee Rony Varghese Abraham, and Association Secretary Adv. Biju Oommen, attended the event upon the government’s invitation.