Thiruvananthapuram: UDF councillor KS Sabarinadhan, in a social media post on Monday, questioned why Vattiyoorkavu MLA VK Prasanth was not using the facilities available at the MLA Hostel. The post came a day after a controversy erupted between BJP councillor R Sreelekha and Prasanth over the functioning of the MLA’s office at the Sasthamangalam corporation building.

Sreelekha, who was recently elected from the Sasthamangalam division of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, had earlier asked Prasanth to vacate his office at the corporation building, a demand Prasanth termed politically motivated.

Sabarinadhan, the UDF councillor from the Kowdiar ward, wrote that Prasanth has access to computer-equipped office rooms and parking facilities at the MLA Hostel, located within the Vattiyoorkavu constituency.

“The issue of the MLA’s office functioning in the Sasthamangalam ward municipal office premises is one that the corporation must decide after examining the agreement between the corporation and VK Prasanth, including matters such as the rent amount. Let that remain aside for now; I need to point out another important fact,” Sabarinadhan wrote.

He said that most MLAs in Kerala run their offices from rented buildings within their constituencies. “When I served as a public representative, I too operated from a rented room in Aryanad, paying monthly rent,” he said.

Sabarinadhan pointed out that Prasanth has the added advantage of an MLA Hostel within his constituency. “On enquiry, I found that two office rooms, Room Nos. 31 and 32, in the Nila Block of the MLA Hostel have been allotted in his name,” he wrote.

“When such a fully equipped MLA Hostel is being provided free of cost by the government, why is it necessary to occupy this office at Sasthamangalam instead?” he asked.

Sabarinadhan said it would be appropriate for Prasanth to shift his office to the MLA Hostel for the remainder of the Assembly’s term. He also said the corporation must ensure basic facilities for all councillors to function effectively.