Nilambur (Kerala), June 4 (IANS) Congress’ first-time Congress Kerala legislator Chandy Oommen on Wednesday said that he was overcome with emotion during his campaign for party candidate Aryadan Shoukath for the June 19 Nilambur assembly bypoll as people fondly recalled his father, late two-time Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.
“I get goose bumps when I meet people asking for votes for Shoukath, as the love towards me increases for many of them, after realising that I am the son of their most favourite leader, Oommen Chandy, and they have only good things to say about my father,” said Oommen.
“All know the warm relationship between my father and Shoukath’s father, Aryadan Mohammed, and many of whom I meet recollect this,” he added.
Mohammed won a record eight times and lost thrice from Nilambur between 1965 and 2011. He retired ahead of the 2016 poll and passed away in 2022.
Chandy and Mohammed had always been identified as the brains behind the faction of the Congress, led by A.K.Antony, when the party in Kerala was deeply divided between Antony and K.Karunakaran for close to three decades. On both occasions when Chandy was the Chief Minister, Mohammed was a member of his cabinet.
In his campaigning, Oommen is meeting each and every voter by personally going to every house, as the Congress is determined to regain this constituency after nine years.
The by-election was necessitated after two-time Left-supported Independent legislator, P.V. Anvar, resigned in January after a serious difference of opinion with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Things went for a toss after Anvar, who initially pledged his support for the Congress, changed his tune when Congress named Shoukath – whom he had defeated in the 2016 polls, and went back on his vow to stay out of the fray. He filed nominations both as an Independent and a Trinamool Congress candidate, but the latter was rejected.
Also in the fray are the CPI-M candidate M.Swaraj and Mohan George of the BJP.
Oommen won his first election in 2023 when he won with a record margin from his father’s constituency, Puthupally. Chandy represented the constituency from 1970 till he passed away in 2023.
–IANS
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