Bouquets and brickbats for Arya Rajendran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In December 2020, when Arya Rajendran assumed charge as mayor of Thiruvananthapuram, at the age of 21, she captured national and global attention. Her elevation as the youngest mayor in the country was hailed as a bold political experiment that captured the generational and ideological shift in Keralas political landscape. Half a decade later, as the state heads for another round of local-body elections, questions abound over whether the LDF has succeeded in capitalising on its decision and whether Aryas tenure lived up to expectations. Aryas early days in office were widely celebrated. But, controversy soon caught up. The 2022 backdoor-appointment row, over an alleged letter sent to the CPM seeking a list of party workers to be named to vacancies in the corporation, raised serious ethical concerns. In 2024, her altercation with a KSRTC driver drew further rebuke, with Arya facing accusations of misuse of power and insensitivity. Public sentiment turned against her. She started courting mounting criticism from both opposition parties and citizen groups. Several elected representatives complained about how she was inaccessible over phone. Apart from public appearances at events, she failed to handle the media like her predecessors. Residents associations and civic groups alleged that despite the long list of accolades, the corporation under her leadership failed to connect with the concerns of the public. Yet, the Left front has defended Aryas record in office. Arya was able to perform well under pressure, said senior CPM leader and former Rajya Sabha member T N Seema. It was a remarkable decision by the LDF to bring youngsters to the fore. As the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram is a city with major development projects. Governance is a team effort of the council and the administration. It cannot be assessed through the lens of an individual. Arya faced prejudice from the start. When we chose a 21-year-old mayor, many mocked us. But young leaders are willing to learn and adapt. Senior politicians have a lot to learn from them, too, she stressed. Despite challenges, the corporation under the leadership of Arya fared well, especially in waste management. But those who mocked us are now fielding young candidates and following the trend set by us, she added. However, the UDF believes the decision to choose the young mayor has backfired on the LDF. Congress leader Bindu Krishna said Aryas tenure failed to match the hype. Irrespective of party affiliation, people welcomed the idea of appointing the youngest mayor. Youngsters in Kerala are generally seen as honest and energetic. But her behaviour with ordinary people, the backdoor-appointment controversy, and the incident involving the KSRTC driver contradicted peoples expectations. Compared to other mayors, her individual performance has been poor, said Bindu. Moreover, the Left decision to zero in on Arya cost several deserving and hardworking women in the LDF their opportunities, argued Bindu. Despite having strong political backing and visibility, she failed to prove herself or implement anything innovative. Many young leaders across the state are doing exceptionally well, but she lacked vision. Except for her age, there was nothing remarkable. She became a celebrity, but, beyond that she institutionalised corruption. The KSRTC episode is a classic example of misuse of power, she added. Former councillor and BJP leader Maheswaran Nair said Arya did not meet the expectations of young voters. For the first six months, she was more of a puppet. Later, arrogance crept in. She disappointed many youngsters who looked up to her. She couldnt deliver what was expected from someone of her generation. This is definitely going to reflect in the local body elections, he said. Irrespective of the criticism, its a fact that her appointment as mayor was perceived by many as one of the brightest decisions by a political party in recent times. It gave hope to many people not just women to pursue politics.