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

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader V.V. Rajesh was on Friday sworn in as the Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram, making it the first time that the party is coming to power in any Corporation in Kerala. Mr. Rajesh got 51 out of the total 100 votes, including one vote from Independent councillor M. Radhakrishnan. The Left Democratic Front (LDF)’s Mayoral candidate R.P. Sivaji got 29 votes, while the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF)’s K.S. Sabarinadhan got only 17 votes with two of the UDF votes becoming invalid.

Sudheesh Kumar, the independent councillor from Powdikonam and a Congress rebel, did not cast his vote. The election to the 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 who had begun gathering at the Corporation premises in the morning, erupted into spirited sloganeering as he completed his oath.

“I hope to use my experience and abilities to take along everyone to ensure development in the 101 wards of the Corporation. As a representative of the party ruling this country, my aim is to ensure that Thiruvananthapuram will be one of the three Indian cities with the biggest developmental activities happening in the next five years,” he said in his first address as the Mayor.

Although R. Sreelekha, former Director General of Police who won from the Sasthamangalam ward, was earlier tipped to be the Mayor, a section of the BJP leadership stood firm for Mr. Rajesh, considering his long years of experience in building the party at the grass-root level in the district. The party leadership is learnt to have promised bigger roles for her in the future.

It is noteworthy that Ms. Sreelekha left the council hall soon after Mr. Rajesh took oath and before he began his first address, and even before the Opposition councillors would leave the hall. Three-time councillor G.S. Asha Nath is contesting as the deputy mayor candidate of the BJP.

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