KOTTAYAM : Mariamma Oommen, the wife of former chief minister and Congress leader Oommen Chandy, is stepping into the UDF’s election campaign for the first time in her life aimed at demonstrating her family’s unwavering support to the party.
Interestingly, Mariamma’s decision to support the Congress and the UDF comes at the time of BJP’s aggressive campaign suggesting that Oommen Chandy’s children will follow in the footsteps of Padmaja Venugopal and Anil Antony, children of former Congress chief ministers K Karunakaran and A K Antony, respectively who joined the BJP recently.
Mariamma, along with her two daughters, Maria Oommen and Achu Oommen will actively campaign for UDF candidates in the Lok Sabha elections.
She is set to kick off the election convention for UDF candidate K Francis George in Kottayam parliament constituency at Kooroppada in the Puthuppally assembly segment on Tuesday.
Additionally, she will be present at an election event in Kulanada in Pathanamthitta parliament constituency, where Anil Antony, son of former chief minister and Congress leader A K Antony, is the BJP candidate.
Mariamma announced her decision through Oommen Chandy’s Facebook page on Monday.
“This election marks the first general election without the presence of Chandy. His dedication to the UDF until his final days remains fresh in our memories. It is a crucial election for the country that we unite against the communal-totalitarian forces that pose a threat to our democracy,” she wrote on FB.
“The Congress meant everything to my husband, and my children have always shared their unwavering loyalty. They can never consider any alternative perspectives. They won’t ever join the BJP,” she told TNIE.