Challenging the Congress veteran is 26-year-old Jake C Thomas, state president of the SFI - the youth wing of CPM.
It's not often that a first timer takes on a Chief Minister who has contested 10 Assembly elections successfully, but Puthuppally in Kottayam district is witnessing a 26-year-old CPM candidate take on a 73-year-old Oommen Chandy, Kerala's current Chief Minister.
Fondly known as the "little one" in the constituency, the Chief Minister of Kerala will be contesting the Assembly elections for the eleventh time from here.
Despite allegations of corruption against him and his ministers, the enthusiasm in his party cadre is palpable.
Mr Chandy has never lost from this seat and is the only chief minister in India to win a United Nations Award for Public Service. "I have spent a lot of time in Puthuppally, people know me personally here. They will not fall for such false allegations," he told NDTV.
He was addressing the first party election convention in his constituency.
Despite his busy schedules, Mr Chandy has not missed his "Puthuppally darbars" on Sundays since he was first elected to the assembly - where he spends time listening to the people's grievances. "No matter where I am, I make my way to Puthuppally on Saturday," he said.
Challenging the Congress veteran is 26-year-old Jake C Thomas, state president of the SFI - the youth wing of CPM. He has been a student leader for 10 years, but is contesting the Assembly elections for the first time.
As he goes door to door asking for votes, in the blazing sun, he says lack of development and corruption are his opponent's biggest shame.
"People here have never seen so many allegations levelled against a CM. They are embarrassed and disappointed. There has been hardly any development in Puthuppally, despite the time the chief minister spends with the people here. I am sure people will rethink their about their vote", Mr Thomas says.