Oommen Chandy becomes longest serving member of Kerala Assembly

He represented Puthuppally for 18,728 days in the House

Congress veteran and former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Tuesday became the longest serving member of the Kerala Assembly by representing his home constituency of Puthuppally for 18,728 days in the House.

By completing 51 years and over three months as MLA, he broke the existing record in the name of Kerala Congress (M)‘s the late K.M. Mani. Just as Mani had represented Pala, his home turf, in the House, Chandy has been representing only Puthuppally in the past five decades.

Beginning his stint as a legislator by winning the 1970 Assembly polls at the age of 27, he has won 11 back-to-back polls since then.

Two-time CM

Mr. Chandy, 78, was the Chief Minister of the State twice, from 2004 to 2006 and from 2011 to 16. Besides being a Minister for four times in various Cabinets in the past decades, he also served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly for four terms.

Addressing the media, Mr. Chandy gave all credit for his rare record to the people of Puthuppally, saying each of his victories was an opportunity given by the voters of the home turf.

The late K.M. Mani still holds the record of having been the longest serving Minister in the Assembly till date.