Politicians usually like to travel in style -- in plush vehicles and, with a sizable entourage of people and security personnel.
So, when photos of former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy sleeping in a sleeper-class berth surfaced on the Internet, social media went gaga over the Congress leader's simple lifestyle.
According to the Times of India, a fellow passenger clicked and shared photos of Chandy sleeping, relaxing and reading magazines in a sleeper-class train coach, travelling from Kottayam to Thiruvananthapuram.
The 72-year-old seemed perfectly at ease, dressed in a white panche and a matching short-sleeved shirt.
This is Kerala Ex CM Shri @Oommen_Chandy travelling in Coach s13 of Sabari xprs from Ktym to TVM without ny security just lyk a common man pic.twitter.com/GshtBiEgnX
— Asif Hameed (@asifgoa) October 10, 2016
Chandy however is at a loss as to why social media is hailing his style of travel as something extraordinary.
"I prefer travelling in sleeper class on trains which don't have a heavy rush, especially the long-distance ones," he told NDTV. "I get to mingle with people, otherwise it can get very lonely. I don't believe in any VIP treatment."
This is not the first time that Chandy has travelled without his security detail.
In July this year, he had taken a Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus from Kollam to Thiruvananthapuram, after he missed a train to the state capital and refused an offer of a car.
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