BJP leader V.V. Rajesh sworn in as Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader VV Rajesh was sworn in as Thiruvananthapuram Mayor on Friday, the first time the party has come to power in any Corporation in Kerala. Mr. Rajesh secured 51 votes out of a total of 100, including one vote from Independent councilor M. Radhakrishnan. While RP Sivaji, the Mayoral candidate of the Left Democratic Front (LDF), got 29 votes, KS Sabarinadhan of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) got only 17 votes, nullifying two votes of the UDF.

Sudheesh Kumar, independent councilor of Powdikonam and a Congress rebel, did not vote. Election to Vizhinjam ward was postponed earlier due to the death of a candidate. District Collector and Returning Officer Anu Kumari administered the oath to Mr. Rajesh. A large number of BJP workers started gathering at the Company building in the morning and shouted enthusiastic slogans while completing their oath.

In his first speech as Mayor, he said, “I hope to use my experiences and talents to take everyone with me to bring about development in the Corporation’s 101 districts. As a representative of the party that rules this country, my aim is to ensure that Thiruvananthapuram becomes one of the three Indian cities with the largest development activities in the next five years.”

Although it was claimed that former Director General of Police R. Sreelekha, who won from Sasthamangalam ward, would be the Mayor, a section of the BJP leadership stood firm against Mr. Rajesh, given his years of experience in building the party at the grassroots level in the district. It was learned that the party leadership promised him greater roles in the future.

It is noteworthy that Ms. Sreelekha left the council chamber immediately after Mr. Rajesh took oath, before he started his first speech and even before the Opposition councilors had left the hall. Three-time councilor GS Asha Nath is contesting as the BJP’s deputy mayor candidate.

Ending the over four decades of rule of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) over the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured power in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation by winning 50 out of 101 seats, one short of the majority figure.