The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) seems poised to repeat the hugely rewarding 2022 Thrikkakara Assembly byelection tack in Puthuppally, where the death of the incumbent legislator and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has left the Assembly seat vacant.
Congress struck gold in the Thrikkakara bypoll last year by fielding Uma Thomas, wife of P.T. Thomas, who died in harness like Chandy. She bagged nearly 54% of the total votes polled.
The matrix of kinship politics that proved fruitful in Thrikkakara could influence Congress’s candidate selection in Puthuppally, delivering Chandy Oommen a high fighting chance of clinching his father’s mantle.