Giving clear indications that former DGP and BJP's Sasthamangalam councillor R Sreelekha will be the party's candidate in Vattiyoorkavu, she will kick off the campaign in the constituency on Saturday. An official press note by the party said that Sreelekha will launch the wall-writing campaign near the Narmada complex at 10.30 am. 

The party is yet to make an official declaration. In February, BJP Keralam president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who expressed his wish to contest from Nemom, also launched the campaign in the constituency by painting the party symbol on a wall at Thaliyal. Speaking to reporters, Chandrasekhar said he had communicated to the national leadership his wish to contest from Nemom in the 2026 assembly elections. 

BJP has high hopes for Vattiyoorkavu. The party topped the constituency in the wards of the Vattiyoorkavu assembly segment in the 2025 local body elections, and it was one of the 11 assembly segments across Kerala where the BJP came first in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Speculations over Sreelekha's candidature in Vattiyoorkavu gained momentum, especially after senior leaders visited her house recently. 

The party was also keen on keeping her in good humor especially after choosing V V Rajesh as the Mayor of the Thiruvananthapuram city corporation. BJP had raced to power in a historic win in the civic body elections in 2025.

Sreelekha had not concealed her displeasure, saying she was fielded as a candidate in the corporation election after being promised a mayoral post. During the swearing-in ceremony, a miffed Sreelekha was seen exiting the hall soon after Rajesh took the oath, fueling reports that she was evidently displeased over the party's choice. 

In 2016 and 2021, BJP candidates Kummanam Rajasekharan and V V Rajesh came second in the constituency. The vote share of the BJP dropped from 32.06% to 28.77% from 2016 to 2021. CPM MLA V  K Prasanth who won the constituency in the 2019 bypoll and 2021 election is expected to be fielded for a third time in Vattiyoorkavu.