In a significant political milestone for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the southern state of Kerala, the party has clinched its first-ever mayoral position following the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation elections. The victory offers a major boost to the BJP’s prospects ahead of upcoming state polls.
Historic Mayoral Win
V.V. Rajesh of the BJP was officially sworn in as Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram on Friday after the party emerged as the single largest group in the civic body. The BJP secured 50 of the 101 seats in the municipal election held on December 9, marking the party’s best performance in Kerala’s local politics.
Rajesh received 51 votes in the mayoral election, narrowly crossing the halfway mark in the 100-member House. The CPI(M) candidate, R.P. Shivaji, garnered 29 votes, while the Congress-led UDF’s K.S. Sabarinathan secured 19. One independent councillor abstained, and BJP’s victory was made possible with the support of an additional independent councillor, P. Radhakrishnan.
A New Chapter in Kerala Politics
Rajesh’s appointment represents a political breakthrough in a state where the BJP has historically struggled to gain traction. Kerala has never seen the BJP in power at the state level. To date, the party has had only one Member of the Legislative Assembly—O. Rajagopal, who won the Nemom seat in 2016—and one Member of Parliament, actor Suresh Gopi, who was elected from Thrissur in 2024.
In his first address as Mayor, Rajesh outlined a vision of inclusive development for all 101 wards of Thiruvananthapuram. “We will move forward together… taking everyone along. Development will be implemented in all wards, and Thiruvananthapuram will be transformed into a developed city,” he said.
Political Reactions and Future Plans
The BJP’s success ends 45 years of uninterrupted control by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) over the city’s civic administration. The mayoralty victory has been hailed by state BJP leaders as a validation of their governance agenda.
Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar criticised the previous administration for what he described as decades of mismanagement and neglect. “This corporation has become a den of corruption. Issues like drainage, water, and waste management were ignored for years. We aim to make Thiruvananthapuram one of the top three cities in the country,” he said.
Internal Party Dynamics
The process to select the BJP’s mayoral nominee was not without controversy. Initially, party leaders were divided between V.V. Rajesh and former Director General of Police R. Sreelekha. Eventually, consensus swung in Rajesh’s favour, with reports suggesting backing from key organisational groups.
Sreelekha, known as “Raid Sreelekha” for her tenure with the CBI handling economic offence cases, did win her ward in Sasthamangalam, demonstrating her continued influence in local politics.
Looking Ahead
The BJP’s breakthrough in Thiruvananthapuram is being viewed as a strategic win ahead of the Kerala state elections, offering the party momentum and visibility in a challenging political environment. As civic initiatives under the new mayoralty begin to roll out, the BJP will be closely watched to see how it delivers on its promises of development and governance reform.
