Oommen Chandy, Pinarayi Vijayan: A tale of contrasting personalities

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The two stalwarts of Kerala politics — Oommen Chandy and Pinarayi Vijayan — are in news after passing away of Chandy on Tuesday.

The two stalwarts began their political career in 1970 — while Chandy (79) had an uninterrupted run till he breathed his last, Vijayan (78) had only a few innings in the assembly.

After the death of Chandy, the comparison between the two stalwarts has become the talk of the town in Kerala. Since Chandy’s death, people remember him as one of the foremost public representatives who was being followed by old as well as the new generation of Kerala.

“What do you know about Oommen Chandy?” shouted an aged man in tears who has been waiting since yesterday at Chandy’s ancestral house in Puthupally.

“I have come a long way to pay my last respect to the leader. It was Chandy, the humane person, who gave me two cents of land and a house. He has left the world after doing all what a person can do, especially for the poorest of the society. I want to have one last glimpse of the leader,” said an aged man.

Another aged and handicapped person who has been at Chandy’s house since Tuesday morning said: “Since yesterday, I am at his residence. I also slept here. How can I leave without seeing him? Chandy gave me a tri-scooter which helps me in moving around.”

People also recall how Chandy was accessible to everyone and anyone could meet him anytime even when he was chief minister for more than seven years during two terms.

However, people also talk about the Chief Minister Vijayan and how he is not accessible to anyone, even though his party men claim that Vijayan is ‘people’s CM’. Since last seven years, it has been impossible to meet Vijayan. There have also been numerous incidents where he has treated the media badly.

People had thronged Chandy’s residence to get the last glimpse. The Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan said that ‘just see how people loved Chandy’.

“It’s been more than three hours since we started and we have only covered just 10 kms. Just see, despite the rains, kids, school children, youth, middle aged and aged are all waiting on the roadside and practically everyone has a tale to remember on how Chandy has heard and helped them.

“See, many of us tried to replicate him and his ways, but we all have miserably failed. There is only one Chandy and there will never ever be a personality like him in Kerala,” said Satheesan.

In 2006 Chandy, at the last cabinet meet ahead of the then assembly election, handed SNC Lavalin case to CBI in which Vijayan was named an accused.

Likewise, in 2021 Vijayan did the same, when the accused in the solar scam case Saritha Nair wanted a CBI probe against Chandy and others for exploiting her.

Chandy for all practical purpose was exonerated by CBI. Coincidentally, on the day of Chandy’s death, the Supereme Court for the 34th time adjourned the CBI’s petition in the Lavalin case. With Chandy gone, Vijayan has to fight his battle.

Meanwhile, the comparison between the two stalwarts will continue in the coastal state for years to come. (IANS)

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