A combination of factors, including a strong wave of sympathy, played a pivotal role in securing the emphatic victory of Congress candidate Chandy Oommen in the recent Puthuppally Assembly by-election, necessitated by the passing of his father, Oommen Chandy.
Mr. Oommen recorded a resounding victory, surpassing his father’s performance in the 2011 Kerala Assembly polls. He won by a margin of 37,719 votes, while his father’s best victory margin was 33,255 in the constituency that he had represented for 53 years. Mr. Oommen’s main opponent, Jaick C. Thomas of the CPI(M), put up a good fight but failed to overcome the ‘Chandy factor’.
Congress leaders attributed the victory to three key elements: Oommen Chandy’s wide appeal with the electorate, a new-found unity within the Congress, and growing dissatisfaction with the ruling CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) coalition in Kerala.
