Lobbying begins for Vattiyoorkavu, EKM
Muraleedharan, who represents Vattiyoorkavu for a second term, said several leaders have an eye on it.
Thiruvananthapuram: Even as the jury is out, hectic lobbying is on for Vattiyoorkavu and Ernakulam Assembly seats, if K. Muraleedharan and Hibi Eden make it to the Lok Sabha.
It intensified after exit polls on Sunday predicted a decisive win for both the legislators.
Frontrunners for Vattiyoorkavu include AICC secretary P. C. Vishnunath, current State Human Rights Commission member and former Thiruvana-nthapuram North MLA (before delimitation) K. Mohan Kumar, KPCC general secretary Padm-aja Venugopal and former Youth Commission chairman R. V. Rajesh.
The seat belongs to ‘I’ group which would me-an Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala would call the shots.
Mr Muraleedharan, who represents Vattiyoorkavu for a second term, said several leaders have an eye on it.
“It is certain that Vattiyoorkavu will see a by-election happening in six months. Curre-ntly, it is better to say who has not eyed it,” he told DC.
When it comes to Ernakulam Assembly seat, KPCC vice-president Laly Vincent and DCC president T. J. Vin-od are in the race. It also belongs to ‘I’ group and Mr Eden and Mr Chen-nithala will take a final call. A senior leader said KPCC president Mulla-ppally Ramachandran might opt for Ms Vincent. “She's a leader of repute who calls a spade a spade,” he told DC.
Incumbent K. V. Thomas has not opened up his mind. If UDF convenor Benny Behanan wins Chalakudy, he is expected to step down, and the AICC might replace him with Prof Thomas.