Former Kerala CM Oommen Chandy: A people's messiah in God's Own Country?

Sinner or saint? Miracle man or malcontent? Amid attempts by some to portray him as divine and others to defame him, Oommen Chandy's tomb is a tourist lodestone.

Some call him the ‘Puthuppally Punyalan’ (Saint of Puthuppally) for purportedly performing miracles even after his passing; for his followers, he is still believed to be attentive to the people who approach him with petitions; travel companies see a business opportunity in his legacy; the church considers him noble, while others view him as a shrewd politician.

Former Kerala chief minister (CM) and popular Congress leader Oommen Chandy, who passed away on July 18 after battling cancer, continues to captivate public attention.

In Kerala’s mainstream media and social media, people are coming forward daily with claims of miracles attributed to