Kottayam: Former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy celebrated his 50 years of completion as a legislator with gaiety in Kottayam on Thursday. Eminent personalities from various spheres of life attended the function, some physically and others through social media.

The celebrations began with Chandy’s grandson, Ephenova, cutting a cake and giving it to Chandy at the venue. Senior Congress leader K C Joseph read out a message from Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who was supposed to inaugurate the function but failed to attend the meeting owing to medical reasons.

In her message, Sonia said Chandy had always been an inspirational figure, whose statesmanship, wise counsel, and experience guided the party. “During his tenure as an MLA, he worked with great integrity, never compromising on his belief in secularism, social justice and democratic values,” she said.

Rahul Gandhi said Chandy has always been an accessible leader of Kerala. KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran presided over the event held at the Mamman Mappilai Hall, Organised by the Kottayam District Congress Committee. While the event was conducted in compliance with the Covid protocol, hundreds of people poured into the venue.

Senior Congress leader A K Antony, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, K C Venugopal and Mukul Wasnik, among others, reminisced their experiences working with Chandy. Apart from UDF leaders, those from the LDF — including the CPM and the CPI — spoke on the occasion.