KOTTAYAM: Chandy Oommen, a prominent Youth Congress leader emerged victorious success in the Puthuppally by-election held in Kerala's Kottayam district earlier. He secured an impressive victory with a margin of 78,098 votes.

The vote counting took place at a specially designated station in Baselius College, with an initial focus on counting postal and service ballots.

The by-election became necessary following the unfortunate demise of veteran Congress leader Oommen Chandy, who had served as the Chief Minister twice and had held the Puthuppally seat continuously since 1970. Chandy's son, Chandy Oommen, stepped up as the Congress candidate to continue his father's legacy.

Puthuppally, boasting a staggering 1.76 lakh registered voters, witnessed the establishment of 182 polling stations. During the election, four booths were classified as 'sensitive,' leading to the deployment of additional security measures.

The constituency witnessed a fierce battle between the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Left Democratic Front (LDF). The contest had been marked by intense debates and exchanges in the weeks leading up to the election, given its significant implications for both the ruling and opposition coalitions in the state.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M), fielded Jaick C Thomas, a youth wing leader who had previously contested unsuccessfully against Chandy in 2016 and 2021. On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a minor player in the constituency, nominated Ligin Lal as its candidate, despite securing less than 10 percent of the vote share in 2021.

Although the outcome of the Puthuppally by-election will not alter the state government's composition, considering the LDF's commanding majority of 99 seats in the 140-member Assembly, it remains a crucial political event that has captured the nation's attention.

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