Capital Fortress Breached, BJP Celebrates 'Political Arrival' In Kerala

The BJP's long-cherished dream of coming to power in the civic body in Kerala's capital, Thiruvananthapuram, came to fruition on Friday as VV Rajesh took oath as the first mayor from the party. 

BJP leaders said that for them, it was more than a political milestone and it felt like finally breaching a fortress in a state where the party has only ever had one MLA and one MP.

By 10:30 am, the corporation's premises had transformed into a charged arena. Hundreds of party workers, RSS volunteers and leaders thronged the courtyard. Shouts of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" echoed through the round-shaped council hall that, for 45 years, had been synonymous with the Left's dominance.

Outside the council hall, the celebrations found a new emotion. Alongside the familiar chants, new slogans rose in unison. "Our dear VVR, lead us from the front," was repeated several times - a declaration that the rank-and-file saw Rajesh not just as a mayor but as the face of their political arrival.

Another chant: "To all those who laid their lives for the party, this victory is for you. You live through us to witness this moment."

Thiruvananthapuram had never elected a BJP mayor before. For decades, the CPM held sway over the capital. Each election since 2015 brought the BJP closer - 35 seats and then 35 again in 2020. Impressive, yet never enough. The party called those elections "lessons", not losses.

"We knew the mistakes we made in 2020. Victory cannot be achieved based on enthusiasm alone. Every ward member, every street corner matters," Rajesh had told NDTV before the elections. 

A recalibration, discipline and organisational steel are what he credited for today's breakthrough. Also the "Modi factor", as several leaders described it, including a promise made by state BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would "personally monitor development in the capital".

Inside The Council Hall

The voting concluded with 51 of 100 voting councillors (the total seats are 101, one ward election is still pending) backing Rajesh, a majority that BJP leaders described as slender, but sufficient. 

After Rajesh signed the register, a banner unfurled from the top of the corporation building: a photograph of Rajesh beside one of PM Modi. 

Even as it appeared that party workers were celebrating an electoral conquest, Rajesh struck a conciliatory note. "This city will not be run on party lines. The experience and suggestions of councillors across the spectrum will matter. Only then will Thiruvananthapuram grow," Rajesh said. 

He invited both the CPM and Congress mayoral candidates to the dais. The CPM candidate accepted, but the Congress nominee declined.

By 2:30 PM, the BJP's Asha Nath was elected deputy mayor with 50 votes. Firecrackers were burst as council members dispersed.

Speculation Proves Incorrect

The speculation until last week was that retired IPS officer R Sreelekha, a former director general of police and a high-profile face with administrative heft, would be picked as the mayoral candidate. The leadership chose to reward Rajesh instead.

Senior BJP leader Sripadmanabhan said. "Half of Kerala BJP did not even know who our new national president is. The BJP leadership chooses people for reasons known only to them," he said. "It is motivating for the grassroots worker when they are acknowledged."

"The party will use Sreelekha's capability for a much bigger task, you wait and watch," he asserted.

From Campus Frontlines to Mayor's Office

Born on May 5, 1975, in Nedumangad, Rajesh entered student politics through the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad at MG College and Mar Ivanios. He later studied at the Law Academy, where he emerged as a key organiser. He has held the posts of the ABVP taluk president, district convenor, state joint secretary, and member of its national executive committee.

He transitioned to the Yuva Morcha, where he became known for leading agitations. His rise mirrored the party's expansion in the state, serving as state vice-president, national executive member, and eventually state president of the Yuva Morcha, alongside leaders like K Surendran.

Rajesh contested from the Vattiyoorkavu Assembly constituency in 2011 and the Nedumangad seat in 2016, improving the party's vote share significantly. In 2020, he won from Poojappura in the local body polls. In 2025, he emerged victorious in the Kodunganur ward, paving his path to the mayor's office.