In Kerala, the upcoming Assembly election is taking place without Oommen Chandy, a prominent figure who had long represented the Puthuppally constituency.
Chandy's absence is a significant factor for many voters in this central Kerala constituency.
Despite his death, a large number of people continue to visit his tomb at St George Orthodox Church, offering prayers in his memory.
This emotional connection is a key factor in the UDF's appeal to voters across the state.
Chandy's son, Chandy Oommen, has taken his father's place in the by-election, securing the seat and reaffirming the family's influence.
Chandy Oommen is emphasizing continuity rather than change in the upcoming polls.
However, his main rival, K.S. Radhakrishnan of the CPI(M), believes this will be a challenging race.
In the 2023 by-election, voters overwhelmingly supported Chandy Oommen's son, surpassing the former CM's margin of around 9,000 votes.
Chandy Oommen is determined to demonstrate that his mandate goes beyond sympathy votes. To build confidence, he has campaigned without using any banners or posters in the constituency.
"Puthuppally has all the necessary infrastructure. My father, when he was an MLA for 53 years, developed Puthuppally from scratch. There are over 60 bridges here, and you can study from LKG to M Tech," Chandy Oommen told
"Now, we need to focus on developing sports infrastructure and promoting religious tourism," he added.
The LDF believes that Puthuppally is not an insurmountable challenge and remains confident in achieving change.
They point out that during Oommen Chandy's tenure, they managed to control most of the panchayats in the constituency and reduced his victory margin to below 10,000 votes in the 2021 Assembly polls.
Radhakrishnan, the LDF candidate for Puthuppally, is preparing for his electoral debut.
"The UDF has consistently won this MLA seat for the past 55 years. The current MLA, as well as his father, former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, have represented this constituency."
"He has served as chief minister and held ministerial positions in various sectors. However, despite all this, the growth of Puthuppally over the last 55 years has not kept pace with Kerala's overall development. This is a serious concern," said Radhakrishnan.
"In the last local body elections, the margin between the LDF and UDF was only around 14,000 votes. The current MLA has not intervened in any major developmental issues in the constituency," he added.
The BJP has also entered the fray, making it a three-way contest. The party has fielded Raveendranath Vakathanam, a party worker for the past 30 years, who says the BJP's growing influence is evident in the constituency.
"There is definitely an influence of the BJP here. For the past 12 years, the Centre has been under its rule, and development has reached many states. But Kerala has not utilised that opportunity. The people of Kerala want that development, and it is that aspiration which is driving support towards the BJP and the NDA," said Raveendranath.
After setbacks in the 2020 local body elections, the UDF bounced back strongly in 2025, winning control of seven of the eight grama panchayats in Puthuppally.
The 2021 Assembly election in Puthuppally recorded a voter turnout of around 74.8 per cent. The constituency has a significant Christian population, particularly Syrian Christians, who have traditionally been a key support base for the UDF.
Prominent churches such as St George Orthodox Church and Manarcad St Mary's Jacobite Church are considered socially and politically influential in the region.
Chandy Oommen, who was not given significant recognition in the party’s state leadership compared to other youth leaders, said the party has given him more than he could have asked for.
"What more can the party do for me? I have asked for nothing; they've given me everything. The party has given me the MLA ticket, the opportunity -- every possible chance," he said.
