Puthuppally, Kerala: In a significant electoral development, the Election Commission of India has officially announced that the by-election for the Puthuppally Assembly constituency in Kottayam, Kerala, is scheduled to be conducted on September 5. This electoral event comes in the wake of the unfortunate demise of the long-standing representative of this constituency, former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who had dutifully served for 53 years.
The closing date for filing nomination papers was scrutinised on August 18, and as per the available information, ten candidates have formally submitted their nominations for the upcoming Puthuppally Assembly bye-elections, slated for the 5th of the following month. Among these contenders, Lijin Lal has been fielded by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), while Chandy Oommen, the son of the late Oommen Chandy, is the chosen candidate from the Indian National Congress. The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has nominated Jaik C Thomas, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has put forth Luke Thomas as their representative in this crucial bye-poll.
The necessity for this by-election arose following the passing of the revered former Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, who had been the steadfast representative of the Puthuppally Assembly constituency for over five decades.
With just under a month remaining until the election, which has traditionally been a stronghold for the Congress party, the code of conduct has already been implemented, as confirmed by the Election Commission's official notification. The results of this significant electoral contest are expected to be unveiled on September 8.
It is widely speculated that Chandy Oommen, the son of the late Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, stands as the most probable candidate representing the United Democratic Front (UDF) in this constituency, according to an insider close to the unfolding developments.
