Big turnout in Puthuppally Assembly bypoll in Kerala despite on and off rains

Brisk voting took place in the by-election for the Puthuppally assembly constituency in Kerala’s Kottayam district in the first half of Tuesday, with the turnout exceeding 50 per cent by 2 pm, as intermittent rainfall did not deter voters from exercising their franchise.

With men, women and youngsters queuing up early to cast their votes, polling opened at 7 am to decide whether the opposition UDF would retain the seat held by Congress stalwart and late Kerala CM Oommen Chandy for 53 years, or LDF would attain the figure of 100 in the state assembly.

At 2 pm, the voter turnout percentage was 51.34 per cent with 90,572 voters — 45,639 men, 44,931 women and two transgenders — casting their votes, the district administration said. There are over 1.76 lakh registered voters in the constituency.

The ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress are locked in a fierce battle for the assembly seat representing this constituency that fell vacant after the demise of Congress stalwart and former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy.

Chandy represented the constituency in Kottayam district for more than five decades without any break until his demise on July 18.

The Congress-led opposition UDF has fielded Oommen Chandy’s son, Chandy Oommen, which analysts view as an apparent strategy to capitalise on the sympathy wave following the former CM’s death.

The ruling Left front once again decided to go with DYFI leader Jaick C Thomas who had unsuccessfully contested the segment in 2016 and 2021 against the late Chandy.

The BJP has fielded its Kottayam district president, G Lijinlal.

In the present composition of the 2021 Kerala Assembly with a total of 140 seats, the ruling LDF has 99 seats, UDF has 40 seats with one vacant Puthuppally assembly seat.

There are 1,76,417 voters, including 90,281 women, 86,132 men, and four transgenders, in Puthuppally constituency.