<p>A tight triangular fight is happening at Vattiyoorkavu constituency in the heart of the city with BJP fielding Kerala first woman IPS officer R Sreelekha. BJP was runner-up in the constituency in the 2021 elections and won many wards in the region in the recent local body polls. Hence the party is having hopes in the constituency. </p><p>But the Congress and the CPI(M) have fielded strong candidates - senior leader and former MLA K Muraleedharan and sitting MLA V K Prasanth. Both of them have good connections in the constituency. </p><p>Sreelekha, who is now a BJP ward councilor in Thiruvananthapuram corporation, is reportedly facing resentment from within the BJP, especially since she openly expressed her resentment over being denied the Thiruvananthapuram mayor post and even being kept off from a meeting of elected members of local bodies convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi</p><p><br><strong>Candidate's profile</strong> </p><p><strong>CPI(M):</strong> V K Prasanth is a two-time MLA and a former mayor of Thiruvananthapuram corporation. He has a good bonding with the constituency and was fondly called as 'Mayor bro.' </p><p><br><strong>Congress:</strong> K Muraleedharan, who is the son of Congress leader K Karunakaran, has won from Vattiyoorkavu Assembly seat twice. Hence he is also having good personal relations in the constituency.</p><p><br><strong>BJP:</strong> R Sreelekha: A 1987 batch IPS officer, Sreelekha has a good track record and had headed investigations into many sensational criminal and corruption cases. She retired as director general of police in 2020. In 2024 she joined the BJP and was made the party state vice president. She made the electoral debut in 2025 at Sasthamangalam ward of Thiruvananthapuram corporation last year.</p>
<p>A tight triangular fight is happening at Vattiyoorkavu constituency in the heart of the city with BJP fielding Kerala first woman IPS officer R Sreelekha. BJP was runner-up in the constituency in the 2021 elections and won many wards in the region in the recent local body polls. Hence the party is having hopes in the constituency. </p><p>But the Congress and the CPI(M) have fielded strong candidates - senior leader and former MLA K Muraleedharan and sitting MLA V K Prasanth. Both of them have good connections in the constituency. </p><p>Sreelekha, who is now a BJP ward councilor in Thiruvananthapuram corporation, is reportedly facing resentment from within the BJP, especially since she openly expressed her resentment over being denied the Thiruvananthapuram mayor post and even being kept off from a meeting of elected members of local bodies convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi</p><p><br><strong>Candidate's profile</strong> </p><p><strong>CPI(M):</strong> V K Prasanth is a two-time MLA and a former mayor of Thiruvananthapuram corporation. He has a good bonding with the constituency and was fondly called as 'Mayor bro.' </p><p><br><strong>Congress:</strong> K Muraleedharan, who is the son of Congress leader K Karunakaran, has won from Vattiyoorkavu Assembly seat twice. Hence he is also having good personal relations in the constituency.</p><p><br><strong>BJP:</strong> R Sreelekha: A 1987 batch IPS officer, Sreelekha has a good track record and had headed investigations into many sensational criminal and corruption cases. She retired as director general of police in 2020. In 2024 she joined the BJP and was made the party state vice president. She made the electoral debut in 2025 at Sasthamangalam ward of Thiruvananthapuram corporation last year.</p>