Thiruvananthapuram | The Vattiyoorkavu assembly constituency in the Kerala capital has emerged as one of the most closely watched battlegrounds in the April 9 Assembly elections, with three high-profile candidates turning the contest into a keen political fight.
The constituency, located entirely within the BJP-ruled city corporation limits, is witnessing a three-cornered contest featuring sitting MLA V K Prashanth of the CPI(M)-led LDF, senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan representing the UDF, and former DGP R Sreelekha contesting for the BJP-headed NDA.
Vattiyoorkavu has drawn statewide attention not just because of the stature of the candidates, but also due to its shifting political trends over the past decade.
The BJP-led NDA has secured a strong vote share in the urban constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the recent local body polls.
For Prashanth, this election is largely about performance and continuity.
First elected in the 2019 by-election after Muraleedharan vacated the seat to contest the Lok Sabha polls, Prashanth went on to secure a second term in 2021.
Now completing six years as MLA, he is taking his development record directly to voters.
Speaking about his campaign, Prashanth said, "While meeting voters, I am confident and proud to present our progress card, which explains the expenditure of Rs 1,050 crore on development activities in the past six years in Vattiyoorkavu." Highlighting infrastructure improvements, he added, "When I first contested here, our campaign vehicles used to travel through roads filled with potholes. Now, even the former MLA and UDF candidate can travel smoothly through the constituency." Prashanth, who gained popularity during his tenure as Mayor of the city and was widely known as 'Mayor Bro', also downplayed concerns over the BJP's rising vote share.
"Voting patterns change in every election. Even the Left improved its vote share in the last Lok Sabha election here," he said.
For Muraleedharan, the election is being seen as a high-stakes political comeback.
A former KPCC president and son of Congress stalwart late K Karunakaran, Muraleedharan had earlier represented the constituency and won in 2016.
After his defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Thrissur, Muraleedharan shifted his focus back to Vattiyoorkavu, where he has been actively campaigning and coordinating party efforts.
Calling the contest a "homecoming", Muraleedharan struck a confident note.
"Other candidates are contesting for second place," he said, projecting strong optimism about his chances.
He has also promised to revive key projects, including the proposed Thiruvananthapuram Metro and a medical college that he claims was a dream initiative during the previous UDF government but later stalled.
"These projects will come to life if I am elected," he said.
At the same time, Muraleedharan emphasised the need for a clean campaign. "Apart from raising political criticism, I would like to ensure a fair fight," he added.
Adding a new dimension to the contest is R Sreelekha, the first woman DGP of Kerala, who is contesting as the NDA candidate. Her entry has strengthened the BJP's presence in a constituency where the party has been gradually expanding its base.
Sreelekha has recently been in the news following her remarks after she lost the Thiruvananthapuram mayor post despite winning the Sasthamangalam ward in the city corporation elections.
Focusing on governance and policy, she said her campaign would highlight the Centre's development model.
"The developmental model put forward by the central government will be my prime motivation," she said.
She also identified unemployment and security concerns among believers as key campaign themes.
Expressing confidence, she said she expects voters to back her candidacy.
Electoral data shows how Vattiyoorkavu has evolved into a competitive constituency.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, NDA candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar secured a lead in the Vattiyoorkavu assembly segment with 53,025 votes.
UDF candidate Shashi Tharoor came second with 44,863 votes, while LDF candidate Pannian Raveendran finished third with 28,336 votes.
A total of 1,28,114 votes were polled from the constituency.
In 2016, Muraleedharan won with 37.7 per cent votes, defeating NDA's Kummanam Rajasekharan and LDF's T N Seema.
However, the 2019 by-election saw a shift, with Prashanth securing 44.25 per cent votes for the LDF.
The trend continued in 2021, when Prashanth retained the seat with 44.41 per cent votes, while the NDA and UDF trailed behind.
At the local level, the BJP has made notable gains.
Of the 18 corporation wards within the constituency, the NDA currently holds 10, while the LDF controls six and the UDF three, according to State Election Commission data.
