Kerala assembly elections 2026: CPI(M)'s VK Prasanth eyes to retain Vattiyoorkavu seat in three-way contest

The BJP has fielded R Sreelekha, Kerala’s first woman IPS officer, while the Congress nominated K Muraleedharan, son of former chief minister K Karunakaran.

Published on: Apr 29, 2026, 03:03:37 IST

By Payal Kumari

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Communist Party of India (Marxist) has fielded VK Prasanth from the Vattiyoorkavu constituency in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections as he seeks to retain the seat. The Vattiyoorkavu constituency is set for a tight triangular contest in 2026. The BJP has fielded R Sreelekha, Kerala’s first woman IPS officer, while the Congress has nominated senior leader K Muraleedharan, son of former chief minister K Karunakaran.

LDF candidate VK Prasanth on the final day of open campaigning for the Kerala Assembly elections, in Thiruvananthapuram, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (PTI)

Also Read: Poet and cultural activist Alankode Leelakrishnan enters Thrissur race as CPI candidate for 2026 Kerala assembly polls

5 Key Facts about VK Prasanth

Prasanth was born in 1981 to S Krishnan and J Vasantha. He holds a BA in History from St. Xavier’s College, Thumba (2001), and an LLB from Law Academy Law College, Thiruvananthapuram (2005). He has been practicing as a lawyer since 2006.

Also read: Elections 2026: Ex-Kerala health minister KK Shailaja in focus in Peravoor battle

Prasanth has been active in politics since his college days, starting with the Students Federation of India (SFI) and later the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). He became a CPI(M) member in 1999 and served as a panchayat member from 2005 to 2010. He is contesting from Vattiyoorkavu in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections and has declared assets worth ₹87.28 lakh with no liabilities, according to his election affidavit.

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Prasanth began his political journey with the Students Federation of India (SFI) and later joined the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). He became a CPI(M) member in 1999 and served as a panchayat member from 2005 to 2010.
In the 2021 Kerala Assembly elections, CPI(M) candidate Prasanth won the Vattiyoorkavu seat with 61,111 votes, defeating BJP’s VV Rajesh, who secured 39,596 votes, by a margin of 21,515 votes. While Congress’ candidate Veena S Nair finished third in the contest.
The Vattiyoorkavu constituency is set for a keen three-way contest in the 2026 elections, with the BJP fielding IPS officer R Sreelekha and the Congress nominating senior leader K Muraleedharan. It remains to be seen whether Prasanth can retain the seat once again.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Payal Kumari
Payal is a budding journalist currently pursuing her passion for storytelling at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. She has always loved writing and reading, and over time, these interests grew into a strong desire to tell stories that people can connect with. This is what led her to choose journalism and content writing as a career. She has interned with Prabhat Khabar, where she worked with the social media team. During her internship, she created content for different platforms and learned how to write in a clear and engaging way for a wide audience. This experience helped her understand how digital content works and improved her writing skills. Payal is always looking to learn and grow as a writer. She is open to exploring different kinds of stories and wants to keep getting better with each piece she writes. Outside of her work and studies, she is an avid reader. She enjoys reading all kinds of books, especially fiction and fantasy, and loves getting lost in different worlds and characters. Reading has always been a big part of her life and continues to inspire her writing. She is excited to keep learning, writing, and discovering where her journey in journalism takes her.Read More

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