Mayor suspense grips Thiruvananthapuram; BJP to announce on Dec 26
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The suspense over who will be the next mayor of the Thiruvananthapuram corporation continued on Sunday, even as councillors took oath amid keen public and political interest. While the ceremony drew several leaders and supporters, the question about the partys mayoral choice prevailed among those present. Several senior BJP leaders had expected the party to announce its mayor before the oath-taking ceremony. When asked, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar told TNIE that the party would announce its mayor on December 26. He, however, refrained from revealing further details about the candidate. Sources said the BJP had secured the support of an independent councillor and was confident of forming the mayoral front. According to senior leaders, the party is likely to hold a crucial meeting of its councillors and senior leaders ahead of the formal announcement. However, the delay in announcement has triggered concern among some grassroots workers over the possibility of an independent councillor being elevated to the mayors post, especially after an independent councillor reportedly expressed willingness to take up the position. When asked about the prospect of an independent becoming mayor, Chandrasekhar responded with a brief, No comments. At the same time, party insiders emphasised that the mayor will be from the BJP itself, however, the supporting independent councillor was likely to be given a prominent role in one of the corporations standing committees. Asked whether the partys central and state leadership have finalised R Sreelekha or V V Rajesh for the post, a senior leader said, Wait for a few more days. The party will officially announce the mayor. We assure a corruption-free administration and accelerated development of the capital, as promised. R P Sivaji in fray as CPM mayoral pick The CPM is likely to field a candidate for the mayoral election in the Thiruvananthapuram corporation, with Punnakkamugal ward councillor R P Sivaji being considered as partys nominee Ayyappa chant, Constitution in hand mark corp oath-taking TPuram: The oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected Thiruvananthapuram corporation councillors on Sunday witnessed several noteworthy moments that drew attention in the council hall. BJP councillor Karamana Ajith took his oath in Sanskrit, standing out amid the proceedings. Congress councillors K S Sabarinadhan, Vyshna Suresh and a few others chose to take the oath while holding the Constitution in one hand, underlining their commitment to constitutional values. Adding a devotional touch to the ceremony, Congress councillor Mary Pushpam chanted Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa after taking the oath, with several other councillors echoing the chant in response. Another detail that sparked interest was the bouquets distributed to councillors after the oath, which were wrapped in green and saffron-coloured cloth ironically mirroring the BJP flag. The session also saw a group of BJP workers reciting the Ganageetham inside the council hall, adding to the mix of political symbolism and ritual observed during the ceremony.
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