TNI Bureau: Senior BJP leader V.V. Rajesh was elected Mayor of the Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation, marking a historic moment for the saffron party as it captured the mayor’s post in the state capital for the first time. The 49-year-old leader’s election ended the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) four-decade-long control over the civic body.

Rajesh secured 51 votes in the mayoral election, while two votes were declared invalid. Hundreds of BJP workers gathered at the corporation hall and its premises to witness the swearing-in ceremony. The election for the Deputy Mayor is scheduled to be held later in the day, with G.S. Ashanath being the BJP’s candidate.

In the recently held civic polls, the BJP emerged as the single largest party by winning 50 of the total 101 seats. The party secured the support of one independent councillor, Pattoor Radhakrishnan from the Kannammoola ward, enabling it to achieve a simple majority. The LDF and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) won 29 and 19 seats, respectively. Polling in one ward, Vizhinjam, was postponed following the death of an independent candidate.

Rajesh, who represents the Kodunganoor ward, has been elected to the corporation for a second consecutive term. Deputy mayor candidate Asha Nath represents the Karumam ward.

Several prominent leaders attended the swearing-in ceremony, including BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi, former state president K. Surendran, C.K. Padmanabhan, and senior CPM leader and MLA Kadakampally Surendran.

Speaking to the media earlier, Rajesh said the BJP would work to make Thiruvananthapuram one of the top three cities in the country. He also stated that the party would take the opposition into confidence for the city’s development and mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit the city within the next 45 days.

The BJP held consultations at multiple levels before finalising Rajesh as its mayoral candidate, choosing him over former DGP Sreelekha, who won from the Sasthamangalam ward. Party sources said Rajesh’s organisational experience and strong backing from the RSS played a key role in the decision.

In a cordial gesture, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan congratulated Rajesh over the phone on Friday morning.

A law graduate, V.V. Rajesh is currently the state secretary of the BJP and has earlier served as the party’s Thiruvananthapuram district president. He hails from Karipur near Nedumangad. His wife, Nithya S. Nair, is a former IT professional, and the couple has two sons.