VV Rajesh becomes BJP's first mayor in Kerala
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior BJP leader VV Rajesh has made history, becoming the saffron party's first mayor of Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation. The 49-year-old put an end to the four-decade-long reign of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the capital city corporation. Rajesh secured 51 votes in the election. Two votes were declared invalid. Hundreds of party workers had gathered at the corporation hall and its premises towitness the swearing-in ceremony. GS Ashanath is the BJP candidate for the deputy mayor election to be held in the afternoon. The BJP had emerged as the single largestparty by securing fifty of the total 101 seats in the recent election. It managed to get the support of one of the two independents - Pattoor Radhakrishnan, who won from the Kannammoola ward - to ensure a simple majority. The LDF and the Congress-led United Democratic Front won 29 and 19 seats, respectively. The election in one ward, Vizhinjam, held by the Congress in the previous council, was postponed due to the death of an independent candidate. Rajesh, who was elected to the corporation for a second term, represents the Kodunganoor ward. Asha Nath was elected from the Karumam ward. Various party leaders who attended the swearing-in ceremony included BJP's state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi, former president K. Surendran, CK Padmanabhan and CPM's former minister and serving MLA Kadakampally Surendran. In his media address after the party announced its mayoral candidate on Thursday, Rajesh had said that theparty will strive to make Thiruvananpuram one of the best three cities in the country. A strong opposition will do good. We will take them intoconfidence, he said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the city in45 days. The saffron party held consultations at different levels before selecting Rajesh over former DGP Sreelekha, who won from the Sasthamangalam ward on the party ticket. It is learnt that the strong backing of RSS helped Rajesh to stake a claim for the coveted post. Also, a section of party leaders had opposed Sreelekha's candidature, citing her lack of political experience. They view that the party, which does not have an absolute majority, needs someone possessing better political acumen to lead them in the tumultuous days ahead. CM congratulates Rajesh In a friendly gesture, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan congratulated Rajesh over the phone on Friday morning. VV Rajesh A graduate in Law, VV Rajesh is currently serving as the state secretary of the BJP. This is his second term as a councillor of the ThiruvananthapuramCorporation. Formerly, he had served as Thiruvananthapuram district president of the party. He hails from Karipur near Nedumangad in Thiruvananthapuram.His wife, Nithya S. Nair, is a formerIT employee. The couple has two sons--withthe elder one an LLB student and the younger one in school. GS Ashanath BJP's Deputy Mayor candidate G.S. Ashanath scored a hat-trick as a councillor this time. She represents the Karumamward. Ashanath's maiden victory was in the 2017 bypoll, following the death of councillor Karumam Chandran. A senior local leader of the party, Chandran, died of an electric shock from an iron box. Setback in Kerala local body election: LDF will make course Correction, says CM Pinarayi Vijayan Kerala local body poll results: Polarisation helped UDF surge, says Congress core panel
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