Kottayam: Former Chief Minister of Kerala Oommen Chandy has set the record as the longest-serving member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly. As of today, the 2nd of August 2022, the Congress leader has completed 18,728 days (51 years and 3 months and a week) as a legislator.

The statistics are based on the date each legislative assembly was formed. Going by the date on which the legislators were sworn in and the first assembly session was held, Chandy has to wait until August 11 to break the existing record.

Former Minister K M Mani won from the Pala Assembly constituency 13 times from 1965 through 2016 continuously and had become an MLA 12 times.

Though Mani had won from Pala for the first time in 1965, he became an MLA for the first time in 1967.

The Assembly formed on 1965 March 17 in Kerala was dissolved on the 24th of the same month even before the members were sworn in. President’s rule was invoked as no party could command a majority and form a Government. As the swearing-in was not held, Mani’s 7 days as an elected legislator in 1965 cannot be considered for serving as a legislator. However, Mani still holds the record for being the longest-serving Minister in Kerala.

Mani died on April 9, 2019.

Chandy's long stint

So far Chandy has been elected 12 times continuously from the Puthupally Legislative Assembly constituency from 1970 through 2021. He was the Chief Minister of Kerala twice, from 2004 to 2006 and from 2011 to 2016. He served as the Opposition leader from 2006 through 2011.

He has been the State Minister four times: Minister for Labour in the first Karunakaran Cabinet (1977) and the first Antony Cabinet (1977-78). In the second Karunakaran Cabinet (1981-82), Chandy was given the Home department portfolio. He also served as the Finance Minister from 1991–94 in the fourth Karunakaran Cabinet.

Tenth among ministers with longest stints

Of the 226 who have served as Ministers in Kerala so far, Chandy is in the 10th place (4,190 days) for the longest tenure. Those who top the list before Chandy are K M Mani (8,759), P J Joseph (6,105), Baby John (6,061), K R Gouri Amma (5,824), K Karunakaran (5,254), K Avukkaderkutti Naha ( 5108), T M Jacob (5,086), P K Kunhalikkutty (4,954) and R Balakrishnapilla (4265). This covers the number of days one served as Minister, including in the Chief Ministerial position.

Fourth position among Kerala’s Chief Ministers

Of the total 12 Chief Ministers who have served the State of Kerala, Chandy holds the fourth position for the longest tenure. He has been the Chief Minister for 2,459 days. The former Chief Ministers E K Nayanar (4,009), K Karunakaran (3,246) and C Achutha Menon (2,640) top the list.

MLA for more than 50 years

Since the formation of Kerala as a State, there have been 970 legislators in the Assembly. Of the lot, only K M Mani and Oommen Chandy have completed 50 years as MLAs in the Kerala Assembly. K R Gouri Amma (15,544), Baby John (15,184), P J Joseph (15,072) and C F Thomas (14,710) have served as MLAs for more than 40 years. K R Gouri Amma and Baby John have also served in the Thiru-Kochi Assembly for 1,330 days before the formation of the State of Kerala.