Puthuppally By-Polls Commence, Crowd Gathers at 182 Polling Booths
Voting has commenced in the Puthuppally by-elections, marking a significant moment as it is the first election in 53 years where Oommen Chandy’s name is not on the ballot. The voting process began at 7 AM and will continue until 6 PM, with the vote counting scheduled for September 8. The constituency boasts a total of 176,417 eligible voters, and there has been an early and promising turnout.
Puthuppally has a total of 182 polling booths, all equipped with a web voting option for added convenience. A substantial police force consisting of 675 members has been deployed to ensure the security of the polling process.
While the outcome of this election will not impact the composition of the Legislative Assembly, its implications for the political landscape of the state are significant. The UDF is not only aiming for a victory for Chandy Oommen but is also seeking a substantial majority.
In the previous election, Jaick C Thomas posed a formidable challenge to Oommen Chandy, and he has been selected by the LDF in hopes of gaining an advantage. They aspire to secure an additional 10,000 votes on top of the 54,328 votes they received last time.
The NDA achieved its largest majority in Kerala through PC Thomas, who garnered 20,911 votes in the Puthuppally constituency during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Ligin Lal is the NDA’s candidate in this by-poll. Additionally, the number of votes Luke Thomas from the Aam Aadmi Party will secure is being closely monitored.
Several factors may influence the polling outcome, including the sympathy factor related to Oommen Chandy, the stance taken by Christian factions and their leaders, the assessment of the performance of the State and Central governments, the development initiatives undertaken in the constituency, and the impact of heavy rainfall on voter turnout.
