Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 8 (IANS): As counting of votes polled in the Puthuppally by-election crossed the halfway mark, Congress candidate Chandy Oommen breached the highest victory margin which his father Oommen Chandy got in 2011.

While Oommen Chandy got a margin of 33,255 in 2011 the highest in his 12 outings from 1970, his son crossed that margin when half the votes were counted and is now leading by a margin of 34,036 votes.

Chandy Oommen, who was missing from the celebrations, emerged from his house amidst a thunderous applause when his margin breached his father's record margin.

Finding his way among the milling crowd of his supporters, a teary-eyed Chandy Oommen walked towards the graveyard of Oommen Chandy where knelt and prayed.

An overwhelmed Achu Oommen Chandy, youngest daughter of Oommen Chandy, said this victory is a reflection of the love and reverence the people of Puthuppally had for her father.

“It’s a big slap that the electorate has given to all those who haunted him for no reason. We humbly accept this gratitude the people of Puthuppally have given to our father by voting for Chandy Oommen,” said Achu.

Voting for the Puthuppally bypoll took place on September 5, in which 72.86 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise.

Of the 1,76 412 electorate, as many as 1,28,535 cast their votes.

The election became necessary after the passing away of sitting Congress legislator- Oommen Chandy, a two-time former Chief Minister who represented the constituency from 1970 for a record-breaking 53 years.

In the fray are Chandy's son Chandy Oommen for the Congress, CPI(M)'s Jaick C.Thomas in his third outing in the constituency, BJP's Lijin Lal and four others.

In the 2021 Assembly polls, Chandy defeated Thomas by 9,044 votes.