Bengaluru (Karnataka) : The mortal remains of Kerala former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who passed away here today, were sent to the house of his friend and former minister late T John in Indiranagar, Bengaluru, for paying last respects. Arrangements have been made for top leaders and followers to pay their last respects there. Later, the body will be sent to Thiruvananthapuram in a special flight from HAL airport.
Following this, the police have made tight security near John's residence in Indiranagar. As the state Congress leaders including Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi paid their last respects to the departed leader. The road has been temporarily blocked near John's residence and police security has been increased under the Eastern Division DCP Dr. Bhima Shankar Guled.
AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal spoke after paying last respects to the mortal remains of Oommen Chandy, who was a mass leader. Venugopal said that Chandy's death was a loss to the country as a whole. Oommen Chandy was the first to launch a strong public relations programme, which was followed by many leaders across the country, he said.
As a leader, Oommen Chandy was always busy at work and he did not even think about his food and sleep, the Congress leader said. His only concern was to serve the people and we have lost such a great leader, Venugopal said.
Karnataka Minister Ramalingareddy, speaking after paying his last respects, said that Chandy was a leader who has never seen defeat in Kerala. He was a leader who won 2 times as CM and 11 times as MLA. The loss of such an active politician is an irreparable loss for the people of Kerala state, Ramalingareddy said. He had come and campaigned in Karnataka during the Lok Sabha elections as well, the minister said.
