THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a bizarre ward allocation, the revered Attukal temple was included in the Manacaud ward instead of the Attukal ward where the temple sits. It was only when the draft voter list of various wards of the municipality, reorganised into 101 wards, got released that the strange omission was noticed.

BJP came in protest, alleging that their strongholds were split only to create a new ward. In the Attukal ward itself, areas from M.S.K. Nagar to the Ayyappa temple, via the Thunchan memorial to the Karthika Kalyana Mandapam, and from the Attukal temple to the left side of the road leading to the iron bridge on the Bund Road, as well as to one side of Padassery, were transferred to the Manacaud ward.

The BJP alleged that it was the handiwork of pro-CPM organisation officials behind the unscientific ward allocation. The CPM filed a complaint demanding that the areas transferred from Attukal to Manacaud be reinstated during the ward reorganisation. The complaint was filed with Corporation Secretary S. Jahangir under the leadership of Ward Councillor R. Unnikrishnan and Ward Secretary C. Jayan.