#GoodNews: Kerala MLA Asks to be Gifted Books Instead of Flowers

In three days, 3,000 books have been given by people in response to the MLA’s request on Facebook.

Kerala MLA VK Prasanth.

(Photo Courtesy: Facebook/VK Prasanth)

Kerala MLA VK Prasanth, who earlier created waves as the 'Mayor bro' of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation who spontaneously collected tons of relief materials for victims of Kerala floods, is once again garnering attention just weeks after being elected as Vattiyoorkavu MLA.

The young MLA from CPI(M) has come up with something innovative by asking the people of his constituency to replace flowers and bouquets given to welcome him, with books. The MLA started undertaking a constituency parade expressing his gratitude towards the people for electing him as their representative in the recently held bypolls.

Facebook Post Garners Support

On the evening of Thursday, 14 November, Prasanth had put a small Facebook post saying that people should not give him any flowers or bouquets, but instead books.

“What I saw from the next morning was overwhelming. We have received more than 3,000 books in three days.”

VK Prasanth to TNM

From children to the elderly, hundreds responded to the MLA’s request by handing him books instead of bouquets.

Speaking about what made him come up with this idea, Prasanth said it was the request of some schools in Vattiyoorkavu constituency, which made him think out of the box.

“Some government schools here had approached me asking if I could do anything to start school libraries. With the books we have collected now, libraries can be started in three schools.” 

VK Prasanth

The MLA also expressed his surprise at the number of people who participated in the initiative. "At such short notice, so many people have come forward to donate books. If they were informed much earlier, we could have collected so many more," he said.

(This article has been published in an arrangement with The News Minute.)