Praising Oomen Chandy on national TV cost me my job, alleges Kerala hospital sweeper

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 22 (IANS) A casual employee at the state-run Puthupally veterinary hospital has alleged that she was dismissed from work for praising her former Congress MLA Late Oommen Chandy.

Sathiyamma, working as a sweeper for the past 13 years in the veterinary hospital, had told a TV channel how Chandy has helped her family.

Puthupally is going to elect a new legislator on September 5 after Chandy passed away on July 18.

As the D-day is approaching, the campaign in the constituency is heating up with the more than dozen TV channels holding daily election related news debates on the upcoming election.

Veteran Congress legislator Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, who is holding charge of the Congress for the by-election, reached Sahityamma's house this morning and spoke to her.

Later, he told the media that the only mistake she made was to speak about the help Chandy gave to her and her family.

“It was just the other day," she told a TV channel on how Chandy helped her family, when her son passed away and during her daughter’s wedding. She said this time she will vote for Chandy’s son as a gratitude. When this became news, she was told
by the authorities that she has been dismissed from service and she has lost her job. We will stand with her to ensure she gets her job back,” said Radhakrishnan.

But the authorities, after realizing that this has become big news in the constituency, are trying to defend their action by saying that this decision against her was a natural process as she was doing the job out of turn.

“How come suddenly this technicality surfaced and anyone with sense can understand the vindictive action came because she said she will vote for Chandy’s son,” asked Radhakrishnan.

Chandy Oommen is pitted against CPI(M)’s Jaick C.Thomas, who lost in the
past two polls to Chandy, BJP candidate Lijin Lal and four other candidates.