BJP Makes History In Kerala, Secures Thiruvananthapuram Mayor’s Post After 40 Years

In a landmark political development in Kerala, the Bharatiya Janata Party has won its first-ever mayoral post in the state, with VV Rajesh elected as Mayor of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. The result brings an end to almost 40 years of uninterrupted control by the Left Democratic Front in the state capital’s civic body.

The mayoral election was held at the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation office, where Rajesh secured 51 votes in the 101-member council, crossing the required majority with the backing of an Independent councillor. Voting took place for 100 seats, as elections could not be conducted in one ward in Vizhinjam.

The LDF candidate, P Sivaji, received 29 votes, while the United Democratic Front’s nominee, K S Sabarinathan, managed 19 votes. Two ballots were rejected as invalid, and one councillor chose not to participate in the voting process.

Rajesh, who serves as a BJP state secretary, has become the party’s first mayor in Kerala. In the recent local body elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation by winning 50 wards. Senior leaders, including BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, former Union minister V Muraleedharan and ex-state president K Surendran, were present during the election. Rajesh was officially sworn in later, while G S Asha Nath, a senior woman leader and three-time councillor, was named deputy mayor.

The outcome represents a significant setback for the LDF, which had dominated the Corporation for decades. However, the Left retained strength in other parts of the state, including Kozhikode Corporation. Across Kerala’s six municipal corporations, the UDF emerged ahead overall, winning mayoral posts in four corporations. Kollam, Kochi, Thrissur and Kannur went to the UDF, though the Thrissur result sparked internal dissent over allegations related to the mayoral selection.

Another notable result came from Pala municipality, where 21-year-old Diya Binu Pulikkankandam was elected chairperson with UDF support, making her the youngest municipal chairperson in Kerala. Her victory, along with support from her family, ended the long-standing dominance of Kerala Congress (Mani) in the region.

Apart from Thiruvananthapuram, the BJP also registered wins in Tripunithura and Palakkad municipalities, highlighting the party’s growing footprint in Kerala’s local governance and signalling a gradual but notable shift in the state’s political landscape.