Kottayam (Kerala), Apr 9 (PTI) Congress candidate Chandy Oommen, son of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, wore black attire as a mark of protest while arriving to cast his vote along with his family in the crucial Assembly election at Puthuppally on Thursday.
At around 10.30 am, Oommen, accompanied by his mother and sister, reached the polling station.
This is the first Assembly election being held after the death of Oommen Chandy in 2023.
Chandy Oommen, who had won the Puthuppally by-election, is now seeking to retain the UDF stronghold in a crucial contest involving the UDF, LDF and NDA.
Speaking to reporters, Oommen said in an emotional tone that it was a day when Puthuppally and Kerala were voting against the LDF government.
“I have several reasons to protest, not just one. My father was haunted not just for two or three years, but for nine years when the LDF was in opposition as well as in government,” he said, referring to the solar case in which a sexual assault allegation was raised against the former Chief Minister, who was later given a clean chit by the CBI after probing the case.
He alleged that those behind the case were protected by the LDF and that the situation persists to this day.
“This is a protest against that. No doubt it has hurt the heart of Kerala as well as Puthuppally,” he said.
He also alleged that the constituency suffered due to inadequate funding.
“The development of the constituency was blocked, and that also deserves protest,” he said.
He said several projects initiated by Oommen Chandy, including a hospital and bridges, remain incomplete.
“An incomplete mini civil station was named after my father. Should they belittle us to this level? Even after his death, the harassment continued,” he said.
He further said that incidents such as the Sabarimala gold loss have also affected the state.
“People have several reasons to protest, and they will show it while casting their votes,” he said.
During the campaign, Oommen drew attention to not using flex boards or posters and instead travelling alone by bicycle to meet voters.
Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy represented the Puthuppally Assembly constituency for over five decades till his death. PTI TBA TBA ROH
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