The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation elections have transformed into a high-stakes, direct confrontation between Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress leader K. Muraleedharan, as the latter’s aggressive and early campaigning caught the ruling CPI(M) off guard.
Muraleedharan’s proactive strategy, including the pre-announcement of candidates, has reportedly unsettled the CPI(M) leadership. Recognizing the challenge posed by Muraleedharan’s deep understanding of the district’s pulse, sources indicate Chief Minister Vijayan has personally intervened to strategize for the civic body polls.
The political heat intensified with the Chief Minister’s late-stage approval yesterday for the initial alignment of the Thiruvananthapuram Metro Rail’s first phase. The long-delayed project’s sudden clearance, right on the cusp of the election, has been swiftly branded a “poll stunt” by Muraleedharan.
This move marks a significant escalation, pitting the state’s most powerful political figures against each other in what is expected to be a dramatic and closely watched civic body election.
