KOTTAYAM: Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that an incident hurt him more than solar case and the sexual abuse case filed by Saritha Nair. He said that the train journey controversy while he was the UDF convenor was unfortunate as several people and media misportrayed the journey he had with his wife.

On March 7, 2004, Oommen Chandy and his wife Mariamma Oommen were aboard the AC coach of Amrita Express, travelling to Thrissur from Thiruvananthapuram. During the journey, Mr, Chandy had dozed off and leaned on his wife. A woman sitting opposite raised a hue and cry mistaking him to be misbehaving with a woman. When the train reached the next station, the ticket examiner came in on the basis of her complaint. The railway official told the woman that Chandy and Mariamma are a couple.
However, his political rivals sniffed out the incident and it landed in controversy after it was reported that the reservation chart for that night journey had gone missing.

"Though, Rahul Gandhi had taken a different stand on the Sabarimala issue personally, he left KPCC in charge of taking the party stand, so that devotees' emotions will be considered. The people of Kerala will not accept politicizing Sabarimala issue. The attacks organized by BJP is a disrespect to Sabarimala. The CPM stand on the issue will be helpful for the UDF in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections", said Oommen Chandy.