Kerala Assembly Polls 2026: Oommen Chandy’s legacy looms over three-cornered battle in Puthuppally

Puthuppally in Kerala’s Kottayam district continues to be deeply shaped by the enduring legacy of Oommen Chandy, even as the constituency heads into another crucial electoral battle.

A towering figure in Kerala politics, Oommen Chandy began his journey through student activism and entered the Assembly in 1970 as one of the state’s youngest MLAs. At the time, Puthuppally leaned towards the left, but over the decades, he transformed it into a Congress stronghold. His remarkable political career saw 12 consecutive electoral victories and an uninterrupted tenure spanning 53 years, one of the longest in Indian politics.

Though no longer present, his influence remains palpable in the constituency’s political discourse.

The Congress has fielded his son and sitting MLA, Chandy Oommen, aiming to retain the seat. In the 2023 bypoll, Chandy Oommen registered a decisive victory with a margin exceeding 37,000 votes, far surpassing his father’s margin of around 9,000 votes in the 2021 Assembly elections.

Now seeking to establish his own political identity beyond sympathy votes, Chandy Oommen has adopted a distinctive campaign strategy, choosing to avoid flex boards and posters across the constituency.

According to Chandy Oommen, Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, "Since the person (Oommen Chandy) worked so hard for the people, they are not able to forget him. When they refer to Puthuppally MLA, they refer to Oommen Chandy. I held a fest for four days, and twice or thrice the anchor of the fest called me Oommen Chandy. I was doing a campaign on cycle, and I met few children and even they called me Oommen Chandy. I was thinking how can a small kid remember him – he is not remembering me, he is remembering my father’s name. So it is embedded in the mind of the people – his name, because of his work."

Despite efforts to carve out his own space, Chandy Oommen acknowledges the deep emotional connect people still have with his father.

He further added that, "For the past 55 years, the UDF has continuously won the MLA seat here. 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 also 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. That is a serious concern. In the last local body elections, the margin between the LDF and UDF was only around 14,000 votes. Over the past three years, the current MLA has not intervened in any major developmental issues in the constituency."

Meanwhile, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) is attempting to challenge the long-standing dominance of the Congress-led UDF. The LDF argues that Puthuppally is not an impregnable bastion and points to its performance in local body elections, where it secured several panchayats and narrowed the victory margin in 2021.

KM Radhakrishnan, a CPI(M) secretariat member and the LDF candidate, is making his electoral debut in the constituency.

KM Radhakrishnan, LDF candidate, "For the past 55 years, the UDF has continuously won the MLA seat here. 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 also 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. That is a serious concern. In the last local body elections, the margin between the LDF and UDF was only around 14,000 votes. Over the past three years, the current MLA has not intervened in any major developmental issues in the constituency."

The contest has also turned triangular with the entry of the BJP. The party has fielded Raveendranath Vakathanam, who claims the party’s presence is steadily growing in the region.

According to NDA candidate Raveendranath Vakathanam, " There is definitely an influence of BJP. Since the 1980s, when the BJP emerged, the leadership landscape in the country has changed rapidly. For the past 12 years, the Centre has been under their rule, and development has reached many states. But Kerala has not benefited in the same way. The people of Kerala want that development, and it is that aspiration which is driving support towards the BJP and the NDA."

After setbacks in the 2020 local body elections, the UDF staged a strong comeback in 2025, winning seven out of eight grama panchayats in Puthuppally. As campaigning intensifies, candidates are focusing on consolidating support among the constituency’s significant Christian population, particularly Syrian Christians, who have traditionally backed the UDF.

Religious institutions such as St. George Orthodox Church and Manarcad St. Mary’s Church continue to play a key social and political role in the region.

Kerala is set to go to the polls in a single phase on April 9, with results scheduled to be announced on May 4.