In a major political moment for Kerala, BJP State Secretary and Kodunganoor ward councillor VV Rajesh was elected Mayor of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation on Friday. He won 51 votes, giving the Bharatiya Janata Party its first-ever victory in a municipal corporation in Kerala.
Rajesh received the backing of 50 BJP councillors and one Independent in the 101-member corporation. The UDF candidate KS Sabarinathan secured 17 votes, while LDF candidate RP Shivaji received 29 votes. Two votes cast for the UDF were later declared invalid.
Who is VV Rajesh?
Rajesh is currently serving as a councillor in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and is now in his second term. He won the Kodunganoor ward in the recent Kerala local body elections with a margin of 515 votes.
In the 2021 Kerala Assembly elections, Rajesh contested from the Vattiyoorkavu constituency as a BJP candidate. He secured 39,596 votes but finished second, losing to CPI(M)’s VK Prasanth, who won with 61,111 votes a victory margin of 21,515 votes.
Senior BJP Leaders Present for the Historic Moment
Several top BJP leaders were present at the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation office to witness the election. These included state BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, former Union minister V Muraleedharan, and former state president K Surendran.
After the results were announced, VV Rajesh took oath as the Mayor of Kerala’s capital city.
End of LDF’s Four-Decade Control in the Capital
The BJP’s win is especially important because it ended nearly 40 years of rule by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Thiruvananthapuram. It also marks the first time BJP has taken control of any municipal corporation in Kerala.
Rajesh Promises Equal Development Across All Wards
After becoming mayor, Rajesh said he would work with everyone and focus on development across the city. “We will move forward together, taking everyone along. Development programs will be implemented in all 101 wards, ensuring equal treatment. Thiruvananthapuram will be transformed into a developed city of the country.”
He also said the change in Thiruvananthapuram could have a wider political impact. “This is a historic moment, and I think this moment will change the political situation of Kerala. I think that the political change of Thiruvananthapuram will change the entire political situation in Kerala,”
BJP Announces Mayor and Deputy Mayor Candidates
Earlier in the day, the BJP officially named VV Rajesh as its mayoral candidate. GS Asha Nath, councillor from Karumam ward, was announced as the deputy mayor candidate.
Mixed Results Across Kerala Corporations
The results from other municipal corporations in Kerala showed a mixed picture:
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In Kollam, UDF’s AK Hafeez was elected mayor.
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In Kochi, UDF councillor VK Minimol, a four-time councillor, won the mayor’s post.
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In Thrissur, Dr Niji Justin of the UDF became mayor, though another councillor, Lali James, alleged she was denied the position after leaders took bribes.
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In Kozhikode, the LDF won most of the wards.
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In Kannur, UDF candidate P Indira is set to become mayor.
Out of Kerala’s six municipal corporations, the UDF won four, while the LDF and BJP won one each.
Youngest Municipal Chairperson Elected in Pala
Another important moment was recorded in Pala municipality, where 21-year-old Diya Binu Pulikkankandam was elected chairperson with UDF support. She has become the youngest municipal chairperson in Kerala.
Diya, her father Binu, and her uncle Biju had contested and won as Independent candidates. They later supported the UDF, ending the Kerala Congress (Mani)’s long rule in its traditional stronghold.
BJP Also Wins in Two More Towns
Apart from Thiruvananthapuram, the BJP also took control of municipalities in Thrippunithura and Palakkad, further strengthening its local-level presence in Kerala.