Sympathy Wave Deciding Factor In Puthuppally Bypolls?

Puthuppally in Kerala is heading for an interesting battle in the upcoming assembly by-poll where 37-year-old Chandy Oommen from the Congress is taking on 32-year-old CPI-M youth leader Jaick C Thomas and BJP leader Lijin Lal and four others.

The death of sitting legislator and two-time former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on July 18 necessitated the by-poll. This was the constituency that he represented from 1970 till his demise.

The Congress had no second thoughts in announcing the name of Chandy' s son Chandy Oommen as its candidate. However, the CPI-M took a few days before deciding to give a ticket to youth leader Jaick C Thomas. Whereas the BJP, which has been trying hard to gain a foothold in Kerala politics, fielded Lijin Lal.

It was obvious for the Congress to pick Chandy Oommen as he is having a sympathy wave. However, what caught many by surprise is the CPI-M's decision to give a ticket to Thomas.

Political pundits say that he too is having people's sympathy as he had lost against Chandy in the 2011 and 2016 assembly elections.

"He has contested from here twice and this is the third time in a row and hence a sympathy factor might work for him," former state minister MM Mani said on the party's decision to give a ticket to him.

The BJP candidate had come third in a nearby constituency in 2016 polls. Nevertheless, the saffron party is poised to stay on the periphery in the competition between Chandy Oommen and Thomas.

The latter had closely trailed the former chief minister, significantly reducing his victory margin to less than 10,000 votes during the 2021 Assembly election.