Oommen Chandy, , (born 31 October 1943) is an Indian politician and statesman who served as the Chief Minister of Kerala for two terms, from 2004 to 2006 and again from 2011 to 2016. He was also Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly from 2006 to 2011. He represents Puthuppally constituency as MLA in the State Assembly since 1970. He is the longest serving MLA in the Kerala Legislative Assembly and the only Indian Chief Minister to achieve award for public service from United Nations. On 6 June 2018, Congress President Rahul Gandhi appointed him as the General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee in charge of the crucial state of Andhra Pradesh. He is now the Congress Working Committee member. Early life Oommen Chandy was born on 31 October 1943 in Puthupally, Kottayam district. Chandy ventured into the political arena as an activist of Kerala's Largest Students Organization Kerala Students Union (KSU), the student wing of the Indian National Congress party. He was the unit president of the KSU at St. George High School, Puthupally, and went on to become the State President of the organization. Chandy completed his pre-university course from CMS College, Kottayam and B.A Economics from St. Berchmans College, Changanassery. Later, he took a bachelor's degree in law (LL.B) from the Government Law College, Ernakulam. Political life Chandy started his political career through the Kerala Students Union (KSU), in which he served as president from 1967 to 1969. He was elected as the president of the State Youth Congress in 1970. He has represented the Puthuppally constituency for 5 decades, having been elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1970, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011,2016 and 2021. During his legislative career, he had also served as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee during 1996–98. Minister Chandy has been a minister in the Government of Kerala on four occasions. He was the Minister for Labour from 11 April 1977 to 25 April 1977 in the first K. Karunakaran Ministry and continued holding the same portfolio in the succeeding first A. K. Antony Ministry until 27 October 1978. He was in the charge of Home portfolio in the second K. Karunakaran Ministry from 28 December 1981 to 17 March 1982. Again, he was sworn in as a minister in the fourth K.Karunakaran Ministry on 2 July 1991. He was in