Former chief minister Oommen Chandy was an anomaly in Kerala politics. The disheveled hair spreading down the forehead and a pile of files held close across the arms was ubiquitous Oommen Chandy, who dictated Kerala politics from 2004 to 2014. Even while being at the summit of power, Mr. Chandy exhumed humility among the populace. People from all strata of society were received with open arms. He would jot down all complaints in a white notepad; an old-school conduct that the former CM followed religiously. Many budding politicians and some famed names have tried emulating the Oommen Chandy model of politics but failed. Not many can imbibe the political grasp and acumen the leader acquired over the years; all from being a novice to a political stalwart. Among all the applaudable nous he eschewed, it was always his humility that towered from the rest. In contemporary times, political leaders try a yeoman's work image building to garner clout among the public and to be lionized by the masses with garlands, flex, and hoardings. However, Oommen Chandy never belonged to that class of politicians and he was thus free from the shackles of image building and eulogizing from workers. Rather than paeans from supporters, his life circled around serving people, and that made his reign strong in politics.

However, when it comes to politics, humility is not the best weapon to wrest power. No wonder, Oommen Chandy made his way into the annals of Kerala politics not just with his modesty but with his shrewd maneuvers in politics. Mr. Chandy used to prescient things making things difficult for the opposition. Sometimes he could embarrass his own party members with shrewd moves to cut short any attempt at tainting the party. Starting from his nascent days as a student politician to now, Oommen Chandy has weathered all storms and has surpassed many scares that one could face while being indulged in politics. From his early tender age, Mr. Chandy would visit anywhere in his khadi attire and would couch to rest even if it was a mere roadside shop; not pondering much about the comfort a home could offer. He worked within all religions and his prime politics circled to hear the complaints from the populace. He was all ears to them and would make a herculean effort to help them even if his pockets ran empty.

Oommen Chandy rarely talked about the religious divide and sectarianism happening in the country. It was his notion to not speak and gain political brownie from any religious sections since he was liked by all; it never descended upon him to talk all this ribaldry of religious hate to win people. As a CM, his tenure is marked by development, which was unknown to Kerala till then. While hassling all the way to the cliff house, the congress leader would entertain people to talk to him and would continue his trademark effort of jotting down complaints on a notepad. As a CM, he could assign any second fiddle or assistant to do that work, but no, it was Mr. Chandy's innate way of doing things.

Apart from his two-time tenure as CM, Oommen Chandy also held portfolios including labor, home, and finance in respective terms. Not many have shed light on the year 1991 and Oommen Chandy’s illustrious record for being one of the finest finance ministers Kerala has ever produced. His budget presentation during that year will remain a milestone for Kerala’s upsurge in economic turfs. He was a maven in money management and chastised stopping development projects for the lack of money in coffers.

Under his tenure,pre-degree education became funded by the government. Low-fare air travel from all airports in Kerala turned a reality. Vallarpadam container terminal to Kochi metro was the brainchild of this congress veteran. However, his vanity project was Vizhinjam International Port, which is now on the edge of completion. On another note, Oommen Chandy always invited harsh criticism. The 2013-14 times saw cannonballs of accusations being fired at him by opposition parties and even till recently allegations about his health status were fodder for news channels. His family members were ridiculed and even vile mockery was played to oust the man from power. Oommen Chandy dealt all these with a tender smile and never cared to respond back in the same vile tone. We at Keralakaumudi have occasionally put Mr. Chandy in the dock for various political happenings, but he was a true gentleman who never showed any spleen with us. He was not a leader who was surrounded by thousands of supporters praising songs in chorus. Mr. Chandy will be remembered for being a special one who always wanted to be among people and loved that interaction more than any eulogizing act. Hereafter, the Puthuppally house in Kottayam will not have the regular hustle of people reaching with complaints on Sunday Durbars. It is rather a big loss.