Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Gets Its First BJP Mayor
Rajesh won the mayoral post with 51 votes in the 101-member council
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2025-12-26 11:28 GMT
Thiruvananthapuram: The BJP made history on Friday when its candidate V V Rajesh became the party’s first Mayor of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, ending more than four decades of CPM-led Left Democratic Front rule in the capital city.
Rajesh won the mayoral post with 51 votes in the 101-member council, receiving support from 50 BJP members and one independent. LDF’s candidate R P Shivaji got 29 votes, while Congress-led UDF’s K S Sabarinathan received 17, with two Congress votes declared invalid.
Another independent candidate stayed neutral. The election in Vizhinjam ward, which was previously held by Congress, was countermanded following the death of an independent candidate.
BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi, and former minister Kadakampally Surendran MLA attended the swearing-in ceremony.
A law graduate, Rajesh, currently holding the post of BJP state secretary, was also a member of the outgoing council. The 49-year-old leader won the Kodunganoor ward in the recent local body polls by a margin of over 515 votes. In 2021, he contested from the Vattiyoorkavu assembly constituency, securing 39,596 votes and finishing second to CPM's V K Prashanth, who won by a margin of 21,515 votes.
G S Ashanath is the Deputy Mayor candidate of the BJP. She became a councillor for the third consecutive time.
The CPM protested, accusing the BJP of violating rules. They claimed about twenty members took oaths under different names, which they argued was unacceptable, especially those in the name of martyrs. Only oaths taken in the name of God or as a solemn affirmation should be valid, they insisted. The CPM demanded that only councillors who took the oath properly be allowed to vote, alleging that BJP and UDF members broke the rules, making the voting illegal. They called for a fresh vote, excluding the violators.
G S Ashanath is the Deputy Mayor candidate of the BJP. She became a councillor for the third consecutive time.
The CPM protested, accusing the BJP of violating rules. They claimed about twenty members took oaths under different names, which they argued was unacceptable, especially those in the name of martyrs. Only oaths taken in the name of God or as a solemn affirmation should be valid, they insisted. The CPM demanded that only councillors who took the oath properly be allowed to vote, alleging that BJP and UDF members broke the rules, making the voting illegal. They called for a fresh vote, excluding the violators.
The authorities noted that now that the councillors have been sworn in, the opposition members are free to pursue legal action.
Meanwhile, former DGP R. Sreelekha is reportedly unhappy over the last-minute decision to drop her from consideration for Thiruvananthapuram mayor. Although she was rumored to be a contender from the first phase, the BJP instead appointed V.V. Rajesh at the last moment. Reports suggest she has directly expressed her displeasure to the party, while central leaders are said to be trying to pacify her.
The Kerala Chief Minister’s office denied media reports claiming that Pinarayi Vijayan congratulated V V Rajesh on being elected as Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. In a statement, the office clarified that on Friday morning, Rajesh had called the Chief Minister’s personal assistant to speak with him, but since the CM was unavailable, he was asked to call later. The PA later connected the call, during which Rajesh mentioned he was going to be elected Mayor and would meet the CM afterward. The Chief Minister simply responded, “Congratulations.” The office stressed that, contrary to reports, the CM did not call Rajesh first, and the false narrative creates a misunderstanding.