New Delhi: UDF has named Ommen Chandy's son Chandy Oommen as its candidate for the Puthuppally by-election.
The decision was on the expected lines. This will be the first election for Oommen.
"I am grateful to the party that has chosen me for this responsibility. This is a huge challenge for me," Oommen said.
"I know that people of Puthuppally still remember my Appa. But this will also be a political fight against the LDF government in the state that has failed in every sector," he told reporters after he received the news of his candidature from the national leadership.
"I offer my sincere gratitude to all the senior leaders of the party, including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, State Congress chief K Sudhakaran, K C Venugopal, former chief minister A K Antony and Opposition leader V D Satheesan," he added.
Oommen is the chairman of Youth Congress National Outreach Cell. He is a member of KPCC.
Oommen graduated in history from St Stephen's College, Delhi and graduated in law from Delhi University. Oommen, who has cordial relations with many Congress national leaders including Rahul Gandhi, had also participated in the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Talking to the reporters Congress state chief K Sudhakaran and senior leader K C Venugopal said the decision was unanimous.
Opposition leader V D Satheesan has said that the announcement would be made within hours of announcing the dates of the bypoll.
Puthuppally byelection
The byelection to the Puthuppally assembly constituency in Kottayam will be held on September 5, the Election Commission of India has declared. The bypoll was necessitated due to the demise of the sitting MLA and former two-time Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on July 18.
With less than a month for the election to the seat held by the Congress for the past several decades, the code of conduct has already been declared, the election commissions's notification said. The results of the election would be declared on September 8.
