Thiruvananthapuram: A shrewd but widely admired politician, 61-year-old Oommen Chandy's elevation as Chief Minister marks a new era in the Congress politics in Kerala which had for long centred round K Karunakaran and A K Antony.

A trusted lieutenant of Antony, for Chandy it has been a long journey to the centre-stage after he plunged into active politics as a student activist in 1960s.

Reputed as an organisational man, Chandy has endeared himself to the party's rank and file by his simple life style and unsullied reputation.

He holds a record of sort by getting elected to the State Assembly from his home constituency Puthupally unfailingly since 1970, seen by many as the strongest proof of his popularity and acceptance to all sections.

Chandy had held important portfolios in previous UDF (United Democratic Front) ministries, including Home and Finance.

A great source strength of the Antony group in the Congress for decades, Chandy had led many a factional battle for his mentor and skilfully thwarted grave threats posed to the Antony Government by adversaries from within and outside the party. A pioneer of student movement, Chandy started his career through the Kerala Students Union and went on to become its president. In subsequent years, he also served as the State president of the youth Congress and held senior positions in the Pradesh Congress.

Despite being the architect of the UDF's impressive win in 2001 Assembly polls, Chandy chose to stay out of the cabinet in view of communal and regional exigencies. He was however made the convener of the UDF.