KOTTAYAM: UDF candidate Chandy Oommen announced that he will get a record majority in Puthupally. '49044 +' he wrote on Facebook two hours after the counting of votes started. Oommen Chandy's all-time record in Puthupally is likely to be surpassed by the UDF. Chandy Oommen's lead level crossed twenty thousand when the report was last received. In the 2011 elections, Oommen Chandy's highest majority in the constituency in the 12 elections contested was against CPM's Suja Susan George by a margin of 33,255 votes.

Oommen Chandy's daughter Maria Oommen also said that Chandy Oommen will win with a huge majority. ‘High expectation and there is no doubt. The party and the family believe that he will get a good majority. People have accepted Chandy Oommen just like Oommen Chandy. Now we are eagerly waiting for the announcement of the election results,' said Maria Oommen.

Chandy Oommen was leading in the first hours of counting. Even in places where the LDF has a strong influence, LDF candidate Jaick C Thomas is far behind. This time Chandy Oommen has made a big wave in LDF’s Ayarkunnam. BJP is not in the picture at all. The LDF leaders had said right after the polls that Jaick would win if the BJP's votes were not transferred to the UDF.

Counting of votes are held on 20 tables. 14 tables for electronic voting machines, five for postal votes and one for service voters polled through the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS). There are 74 counting officers. 32 CAPF personnel and an armed police battalion have been deployed for the security of the counting centre.