Thrissur: Hours after the news broke on the surprise move of the Congress to make K Muraleedharan contest from Thrissur, which was his late father’s bastion, sitting MP TN Prathapan from the region was seen making wall paintings requesting votes for his fellow party man. Now, this is happening at a time when Muraleedharan’s candidature from the Thrissur parliamentary constituency is yet to be finalised by the Congress party. TN Prathan is known to be more than happy to vacate his seat.

Interestingly, until Thursday, it was more or less confirmed that TN Prathapan would be contesting from Thrissur yet again. Wall paintings were created in almost 150 regions across the district seeking votes for the sitting MP. Thousands of posters were printed in his name as well. 

But in a dramatic turn of events, instructions were given to the District Congress Committee members to erase the wall paintings intended to garner support for Prathapan. The move came as the CEC meeting was progressing in the AICC headquarters.

Meanwhile, Shafi Parambil is expected to engage in a poll battle in Vadakara in place of Muraleedharan. Reports also suggest that the Congress high command has assured an assembly seat for Prathapan in the future. He was apparently happy with the offer and willingly vacated his seat to make way for Muraleedharan.

The move comes at a time when a shock treatment was inflicted on the entire Congress fraternity in Kerala with the shift of Padmaja Venugopal to BJP. The hasty decision to push Muraleedharan to Thrissur is being dubbed as a tactical move on the part to negate the possibility of Padmaja contesting for BJP from Thrissur.