[Puthuppally Bypoll Results: Ruling LDF and Opposition UDF Engage in Fierce Battle]
The counting of votes for the Puthuppally bypoll, which witnessed a fierce contest between the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), commenced today. This election holds immense political significance as the Congress aims to retain its traditional stronghold, while the Communist Party of India (Marxist) seeks to make new inroads ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The voting for the vacant seat, left behind by the demise of Congress stalwart Oommen Chandy, took place on September 5. The counting was scheduled to begin at 8 am at a special counting station established in a local college. However, there was a slight delay of a few minutes. The first round of counting involved postal and service ballots.
According to sources from the Election Commission, an initial trend is expected to emerge within a few hours. The three key candidates vying for the Puthuppally Assembly seat are Chandy Oommen from the UDF, Jaick C Thomas from the LDF, and G Lijin Lal from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
A total of 182 booths were set up in Puthuppally, and the counting of votes in the electronic voting machines will be conducted in 13 rounds. To ensure security, 74 counting officials, 32 Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel, and a 12-member armed battalion have been deployed at the counting station.
Puthuppally, located near this town, has witnessed a war of words between the rival parties in the lead-up to the by-election. Both the ruling and opposition fronts consider this election prestigious and have left no stone unturned in their campaign efforts. The voter turnout for this bypoll saw 72.86 percent of the registered 1,76,412 voters exercising their franchise, which was slightly lower than the turnout in the 2021 state assembly polls.
The Puthuppally Assembly seat became vacant after the passing of Oommen Chandy, who had represented the constituency in Kottayam district for over five decades without any interruption. In the current composition of the 2021 Kerala Assembly, the LDF holds 99 seats, the UDF has 40 seats, and one seat remains vacant, which is the Puthuppally constituency.
As the counting of votes progresses, all eyes are on the outcome of this closely contested bypoll, which will have significant implications for the political landscape in Kerala. The results will reveal whether the UDF can hold on to its traditional stronghold or if the LDF can make significant inroads ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
