Opinion

BJP’s self-goal in Thiruvananthapuram mayoral candidate selection

Despite a landmark civic victory, the BJP’s decision to bypass former DGP R Sreelekha in favor of V V Rajesh has triggered internal dissent and dampened hopes of political expansion in Kerala

Kumar Chellappan

December 26, 2025

Despite a landmark civic victory, the BJP’s decision to bypass former DGP R Sreelekha in favor of V V Rajesh has triggered internal dissent and dampened hopes of political expansion in Kerala

After historic win, Kerala BJP undermines itself by ignoring R Sreelekha

The BJP in Kerala squandered away a chance to establish itself as an option to the corrupt and inefficient CPI(M) and the Congress on Thursday. Much to the anguish and disappointment of the party cadre across the state, the BJP dumped R Sreelekha, former director general of police and the State’s first lady IPS officer, and chose V V Rajesh as its mayoral candidate of Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation.

The BJP had won 50 of the 101 wards in the Corporation in the election held to the Local Self Government Institution on December 9. This is the first time in the 85-year history of the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation that the Hindutva party emerged as the single largest party. It was widely believed that Sreelekha would be the natural choice for the Mayor’s post because of her track record in the police force. People who were reluctant to vote for the BJP in the past were enthused by Sreelekha’s candidature, and this played a crucial role in the party’s victory. An Indian Police Service officer known for her uncompromising stance in ensuring the Indian Constitution and guarding the law of the land, Sreelekha was seen by the common folk as the natural choice for the top job in the Corporation Council.

“I am shocked and sad that they have overlooked Sreelekha and chosen Rajesh for the top job. This man, Rajesh, is not a good character, as there are many allegations of corruption against him,” Prof Konni Gopakumar, chief editor, Janabhoomi, popular news channel, told PGurus. He said he does not feel that the BJP would make any impact in the Assembly elections to be held early in 2026.

“I had a lot of hope about the BJP when Rajeev Chandrasekhar was appointed as the State president of the party. But all those were dashed by the party leadership, which elected Rajesh as the mayoral candidate,” said Prof Gopakumar.

J Somasekharan Pillai, who coordinated the election of BJP candidates in Thiruvananthapuram district panchayats, too, expressed his disappointment over the party leadership bypassing Sreelekha. But he declined to tell anything more as he too was a part of the BJP’s think tank.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who led the BJP from the front during the corporation election, was missing during the selection of the mayoral candidate on Thursday. “This could be read as an indication that somebody in the hierarchy has hijacked the selection process. Such jobs should be entrusted to persons experienced in leading the party and not to those who claim to be part of the intelligentsia,” said a senior BJP leader in the State.

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2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.

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