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Chandy Oommen Votes in Black, Seeks Justice for Father in Kerala Polls

Puthuppally MLA Chandy Oommen cast his vote in Kottayam for the Kerala Assembly elections, stating the state is voting for Congress to seek justice for the alleged harassment faced by his late father, former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. He voted dressed in black, accompanied by his mother and sister, in the constituency he won in a 2023 bypoll after his father's death. Polling is underway across 140 constituencies with a voter turnout of 33.28% reported till 11 am, featuring a high-stakes contest between the incumbent LDF and the opposition UDF. Several prominent leaders, including CM Pinarayi Vijayan and LoP VD Satheesan, have also exercised their franchise.

Key Points: Kerala Assembly Polls: Chandy Oommen Casts Vote, Seeks Justice

  • Oommen cites witch hunt against late father
  • Votes in black outfit with family
  • Puthuppally a key Congress stronghold
  • 33.28% turnout reported till 11 am
  • High-stakes LDF vs UDF contest
3 min read

Assembly polls: Puthuppally MLA Chandy Oommen casts vote, says "Keralam backing Congress"

Puthuppally MLA Chandy Oommen votes, says Kerala backing Congress for justice for his late father, former CM Oommen Chandy. Key leaders cast votes.

"Entire Keralam is voting against this government. Today is the day when my father will get justice - Chandy Oommen"

Kottayam, April 9

Puthuppally MLA Chandy Oommen on Thursday cast his vote in Kottayam as voting is underway for the Keralam assembly election, saying voters are backing Congress to seek justice for the alleged harassment of his father, Oommen Chandy.

Speaking to ANI, Oommen said, "When this government was in opposition, they carried out a witch hunt against my father. They are protecting the people who carried out the witch hunt. They did not take any action."

"The CBI also concluded that my father was not guilty. Entire Keralam is voting against this government. Today is the day when my father will get justice by giving the Congress government to the state," said the son of the former Chief Minister of Kerala, who passed away in 2023. He came dressed in a black outfit to vote and was accompanied by his mother and sister.

The Puthuppally seat holds significant political importance for the Congress, being a traditional stronghold of the party. Oommen, who won the 2023 Puthyppally bypoll, was necessitated after his father's death. is seeking to retain the constituency.

Polling began at 7 am across all 140 constituencies in Keralam, with voters turning out steadily to decide the fate of 883 candidates. According to the Election Commission of India, voter turnout stood at 33.28 per cent till 11 am.

Several prominent leaders in Keralam exercised their franchise as polling for the 2026 Assembly elections gained momentum across the state.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary MA Baby cast his vote in Thiruvananthapuram, while Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan voted at Pinarayi RC Amala Basic Upper Primary School in Kannur. Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan cast his vote at Kesari Government Arts and Science College in Ernakulam.

Among other voters, Keralam Congress president Sunny Joseph and MP Hibi Eden voted in Kannur and Kochi, respectively, while Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jebi Mather also participated.BJP leaders Anil K Antony and former Union Minister V Muraleedharan voted in Thiruvananthapuram. Actor-turned-politician and UDF candidate Ramesh Pisharody cast his vote in Palakkad. Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan voted at Jawahar Nagar LP School in Thiruvananthapuram.

Keralam has over 2.69 crore registered voters, including 1.38 crore women and 1.31 crore men, along with 277 voters in the third gender category. Nearly 4.24 lakh first-time voters aged 18-19 are participating, while over 2 lakh voters are aged above 85.

To ensure smooth polling, authorities have set up 30,471 polling stations and deployed around 1.46 lakh trained personnel across the state. Security has also been heightened, with over 1,200 police teams active on the ground.

The election is being seen as a high-stakes contest between the incumbent LDF, which is seeking a third consecutive term, and the UDF, aiming for a comeback. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
The black outfit says it all. It's a powerful symbol of protest. The way the previous government harassed a senior, ailing leader was shameful. Justice for Oommen Chandy sir! Keralam will remember. UDF all the way! 🙏
R
Rohit P
High voter turnout is always a good sign for democracy. Let the people decide. But honestly, both fronts have their flaws. We need a government that focuses on jobs for the youth and controlling prices, not just political vendettas.
S
Sarah B
Interesting to follow from abroad. The article mentions over 4 lakh first-time voters! That's a huge number. Their choice will shape Kerala's future. Hope they're voting based on policies and vision, not just family legacy or emotions.
M
Meera T
As a Keralite, I feel this election is crucial. The LDF has done some good work in health and education, but there are serious corruption allegations. Chandy Oommen's point about protecting those who carried out the 'witch hunt' is serious. The CBI clean chit must count for something. Time for a change.
V
Vikram M
Puthuppally will stand with the Chandy family, no doubt. It's about loyalty and gratitude. But one constituency doesn't win a state. The BJP vote share is the X-factor this time. Could split the anti-incumbency vote. A very tight race! 🤔

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