Thiruvananthapuram | Ahead of Oommen Chandy's third death anniversary on Saturday, senior Congress leader Thampanoor Ravi has urged the Kerala government to name the Vizhinjam International Seaport after the late chief minister.
In a statement issued on Friday, Ravi said naming the port after Chandy would be a fitting tribute to the late Congress leader on his death anniversary.
According to him, Vizhinjam has emerged as "the biggest development project Kerala has ever seen", and he described Chandy as its "architect".
"As the Vizhinjam Port project has emerged as the biggest development project Kerala has ever seen, the port should be named after its architect, former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, making his death anniversary meaningful," the former MLA said.
Ravi alleged that attempts were being made to deny Chandy credit for the project.
"Many are trying to claim credit for Vizhinjam Port," he said, while accusing the previous Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government of "ignoring" Chandy's contribution to making the port at Vizhinjam a reality.
He urged the V D Satheesan-led government not to delay the decision.
"The UDF government should not delay naming the port after Oommen Chandy, the architect of Vizhinjam Port, and should not drag the project into controversies," Ravi said, adding that he had written to the Chief Minister seeking the change.
Ravi also welcomed the maiden Budget of the Satheesan government, particularly its proposal to build memorials for former minister K R Gouri Amma and actor Salim Kumar.
"A similarly constructive approach should be adopted in the case of Oommen Chandy. A memorial for Oommen Chandy should be built without delay in the capital city, where he carried out his public life and political work," the statement said.
Calling Chandy "the most popular leader Kerala had seen and a visionary Chief Minister", Ravi said a memorial for the late leader was "the wish of the people".
He also welcomed the proposed Oommen Chandy Health Insurance Scheme announced by the UDF government, saying it would be "the best tribute" to the former chief minister.
Chandy, a two-time Kerala chief minister and senior Congress leader, died on July 18, 2023, at the age of 79 after undergoing treatment for cancer.
