BJP’s Thiruvananthapuram Corporation majority under strain after R Sreelekha resigns

The BJP city government in Kerala’s capital city faces an immediate majority challenge after party councillor from Sasthamangalam and former DGP of the state, R Sreelekha, resigned from the council.

Sreelekha submitted her resignation to Thiruvananthapuram Mayor VV Rajesh on September 30, according to initial reports.

Thiruvananthapuram was a ‘city of joy’ for the BJP as it won the municipal elections in the state capital for the first time, albeit with a wafer-thin majority. Out of 101 seats, the BJP won 50 and is currently running the government with the support of one independent. With Sreelekha resigning, the strength has now come down to 50, supported by the independent.

R Sreelekha is the state BJP vice president and openly expressed her displeasure in January this year over not being elected as Mayor, with BJP preferring Rajesh for the post.

Sources tell ET that the BJP leadership has different plans for her and she was made to contest the Vattiyoorkkavu assembly seat during the assembly polls. However, she lost to Congress candidate K Muraleedharan, finishing third behind the Congress and CPM candidates.