MLA office controversy just the beginning; Congress considering two names for Vattiyoorkavu constituency 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vattiyoorkavu MLA office controversy that erupted soon after the BJP came to power in the Thiruvananthapuram municipal corporation continues. Former DGP and BJP councillor of Sasthamangalam R Sreelekha had come forward demanding that VK Prasanth, who is working in a building owned by the corporation, vacate the office. Kowdiar councillor and former MLA KS Sabrinathan had criticised Prasanth in this controversy.

Sabarinathan's question was why VK Prasanth is renting a corporation-owned building and running his office there when the MLA has a room in the hostel. Prasanth also realises that this move against him is part of a plan to win back Vattiyoorkavu. Vattiyoorkavu is a constituency with strong roots for the BJP. The BJP came first here in the local body elections.

The CPM regained Vattiyoorkavu, which was held by the Congress after the delimitation in 2011, through VK Prasanth, who was then the mayor of the capital. Prasanth took the CPM from third place to a majority of more than 14,000 votes. In 2021, when his majority crossed 20,000, the Congress was relegated to third place in Vattiyoorkavu.

The Congress leadership is counting on the assumption that the current controversy has damaged the image of popular MLA VK Prasanth and that the constituency will lean to the right if a good candidate is fielded. The Congress district leadership is putting forward two names for this. Former MLA K Muraleedharan is the first consideration. He had earlier announced that he would not contest the elections and would accept the party's decision.

The name of former Aruvikkara MLA and current municipal councillor KS Sabarinathan will be considered if K Muraleedharan does not contest. Sabarinath's name is also being considered for the Thiruvananthapuram Central constituency. This comes in the wake of VS Sivakumar expressing interest in shifting to Neyyattinkara. The names of Sreelekha and Padmaja Venugopal are being discussed in the BJP.