R Sreelekha Quits As Kerala BJP Councillor Months After Mayor Snub, Party’s Corporation Hold At Risk

Former Kerala DGP R Sreelekha resigns as BJP councillor in Thiruvananthapuram, putting the NDA's narrow numbers in the 101-member corporation under strain.

R Sreelekha is a former Kerala DGP and a BJP councillor. She represented the Sasthamangalam ward in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Former DGP R Sreelekha resigned from Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
• Personal reasons cited, mayoral post disappointment influenced decision.
• BJP tries to persuade her; resignation challenges corporation's majority.

Former Kerala DGP and BJP councillor R Sreelekha has resigned from her position in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, creating a fresh challenge for the BJP-led administration in the 101-member civic body. Sreelekha, who represents the Sasthamangalam ward, submitted her resignation letter to Mayor V V Rajesh on September 30 and subsequently informed people in her ward about the decision. She has cited personal reasons for the resignation, while reports have also linked the move to her earlier dissatisfaction over being overlooked for the mayor's post.

The BJP leadership has reportedly begun efforts to persuade her to withdraw the resignation. The resignation has reduced the NDA's strength in the council, putting greater pressure on the ruling side to retain the support it needs to run the corporation.

Resignation Triggers Fresh Crisis

Sreelekha handed her resignation to Mayor V V Rajesh, who confirmed receiving the letter. Rajesh has said that the letter referred to personal difficulties and that efforts were being made to address the issues raised by her.

However, the resignation has emerged against the backdrop of reported differences between Sreelekha and the BJP leadership.

The former DGP had been one of the prominent BJP faces during the corporation election campaign. Her departure from the council comes less than a year after the BJP-led NDA ended the Left's long control of the Thiruvananthapuram civic body.

Mayor Post Was Earlier Flashpoint

Sreelekha's relationship with the party leadership had come under attention after V V Rajesh was chosen as mayor following the corporation election.

Reports said Sreelekha had been projected during the campaign as a possible mayoral face and was subsequently unhappy after Rajesh was selected for the position. She had earlier spoken publicly about her disappointment over not being given the post, as per reports.

Despite the setback, Sreelekha had continued as the councillor representing Sasthamangalam. Her latest decision has now brought the earlier disagreement back into focus.

The BJP, meanwhile, is attempting to resolve the issue internally and convince her to reconsider her resignation.

BJP Numbers Fall Further

The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation has 101 councillors, making 51 the halfway mark.

The BJP-led NDA had 50 councillors and relied on the support of an independent to run the administration. With Sreelekha's resignation, the BJP's own strength has fallen further, while the NDA's effective strength stands at 50 including the independent support.

This means the ruling alliance's ability to maintain its position in the corporation will depend on retaining the support of the independent councillor and managing the reduced numbers.

Sreelekha Won Sasthamangalam

Sreelekha won the Sasthamangalam ward in the corporation election after entering electoral politics following her retirement from the police service.

Her profile as a former DGP had made her one of the BJP's prominent campaign faces in the state capital. The BJP-led NDA went on to secure control of the corporation, ending the Left's decades-long hold over the civic body.