In a significant political development, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has officially named its leadership team for the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, which it won for the first time in history, breaking a 45-year-long stronghold of the Left Front. The party announced former district president V V Rajesh as its candidate for the Mayor's post and councillor Asha Nath for the position of Deputy Mayor.
Historic Announcement After Prolonged Deliberations
The names were declared by the party's state general secretary, S Suresh, during a crucial meeting attended by the newly elected BJP councillors and district leaders on Thursday. This decision came after extensive discussions within the party's state and district leadership. Earlier, retired DGP R Sreelekha was considered a frontrunner for the mayoral candidacy, but her elevation faced opposition from a section within the party.
Adding a layer of high-level consultation to the process, BJP's Kerala state president, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, revealed he had met with the party's national president, J P Nadda, and national working president, Nitin Nabin, to seek their guidance on organisational matters concerning the Kerala unit just before the announcement. Chandrasekhar expressed gratitude for their support on behalf of every party worker.
Who is VV Rajesh, the BJP's Mayoral Face?
V V Rajesh is a seasoned BJP leader with deep roots in Thiruvananthapuram's political landscape. A lawyer by profession, he currently serves as a BJP state secretary and is a sitting councillor in the corporation, representing the Kodunganoor ward, which he won by a margin of 515 votes in the recent local body elections. This marks his second term in the corporation house.
Rajesh's political journey spans nearly three decades, beginning in 1996. He has held several key organisational positions, including the presidency of the BJP's Thiruvananthapuram district unit and the state leadership of the BJP Yuva Morcha. His electoral experience includes contesting the 2021 Kerala Assembly elections from the Vattiyoorkavu constituency, where he secured 39,596 votes and finished second.
A Landslide Victory Reshapes Kerala's Political Map
The backdrop of this announcement is the BJP's landmark victory in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation elections. In a dramatic three-cornered contest, the party secured 50 seats, achieving a simple majority and ending a Left rule that had persisted for over four decades. The Congress-led UDF also improved its position by doubling its seat tally, but the ultimate swing was decisively in favour of the BJP.
This win is seen as a major breakthrough for the BJP in Kerala, a state where it has traditionally struggled to gain a firm foothold in local governance. The selection of V V Rajesh, a local leader with extensive ground-level experience, and Asha Nath as his deputy, signals the party's intent to consolidate this historic gain and establish an effective administration in the capital city.
