Rift in Kerala BJP? R Sreelekha resigns as councillor months after mayor snub
BJP councillor and former Kerala DGP R Sreelekha has resigned as a councillor from the Sasthamangalam ward of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, in a setback to the BJP months after the party came to power in the state capital's civic body, ending the 45-year-long Left domination.
It has come to light that Sreekekha had been upset over the mayoral post from the beginning. She had earlier said that she initially refused to contest the corporation election, but agreed after being approached repeatedly by the party and being told that she would not be projected merely as a councillor.
According to Sreelekha, she was told that she would be the BJP's face in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and would be considered for the mayor's post.
On Saturday, Sreelekha submitted her resignation letter to Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V V Rajesh and informed the corporation that she would give a copy of the letter to the district collector on Monday. Her resignation will become official only after she submits it to the corporation secretary.
The BJP leadership has intervened in the matter and is trying to pacify Sreelekha and persuade her to withdraw her resignation. The party has time until Monday to attempt to resolve the issue.SREELEKHA EXPRESSED DISSATISFACTION AFTER V V RAJESH WAS CHOSEN MAYOR
The IPS-turned politician made the remarks about the mayoral post days after the BJP picked V V Rajesh following its historic victory in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. Defying all odds, the party secured 50 seats against the CPIM-led LDF coalition’s 29 seats and the Congress’s 19.
Sreelekha played a significant role in the party’s success at the Left bastion. She had emerged as one of the BJP's most prominent faces during the election campaign and won the Sasthamangalam division by a massive margin.
Despite not getting the mayor's post, Sreelekha had said that she would not give up her councillor's position as she had to serve the people who had voted for her. She had also said that she had accepted the party's decision to choose Rajesh as mayor.BJP HAS SLIM NUMBERS IN 101-MEMBER COUNCIL
The resignation assumes significance because the BJP does not have an absolute majority in the 101-member Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
At present, the BJP is a seat short of the 51 required for a majority. In December, it formed the corporation administration with the support of an independent councillor. V V Rajesh won the mayoral election with 51 votes in the 101-member council, with the backing of the Independent councillor.
If Sreelekha goes ahead with her resignation, the BJP will have only 48 members in the 101-member council, further narrowing the party's numbers in the corporation.FROM FIRST WOMAN IPS OFFICER TO BJP'S CIVIC FACE
Sreelekha, Kerala's first woman IPS officer, retired as Director General of Police in 2020 after more than three decades in public service.
She joined the BJP in October 2024 and became one of the party's prominent faces of the state unit. She was appointed as the vice-president of the state unit.
The bureaucrat-turned-politician was also seen sharing the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.- Ends
