In a landmark shift for Kerala’s political landscape, Bharatiya Janata Party leader VV Rajesh was elected Mayor of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation on Friday. This marks the first time the saffron party has ever taken control of a municipal corporation in the state, effectively ending nearly four decades of LDF dominance in the capital. Rajesh got 51 votes in the 101-ward council, bolstered by the support of an Independent councillor. His competitors, RP Sivaji of the LDF and KS Sabarinathan of the UDF, trailed behind with 29 and 19 votes respectively, though two of the UDF's votes were eventually declared invalid.
The election drew top BJP brass to the corporation office, including State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister Suresh Gopi, and K. Surendran. Following his swearing-in, Rajesh struck a conciliatory tone, vowing to treat all 101 wards as a single unit and work toward making Thiruvananthapuram one of the top three cities in India for development. Addressing internal dynamics, Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that Rajesh was the leadership's deliberate choice, dismissing any friction regarding former DGP R Sreelekha not being picked for the role. Suresh Gopi added that while the party feels this victory was delayed from the 2020 elections, they are now focused on making steady, incremental progress toward the 2026 Assembly polls.
While the BJP celebrated its breakthrough in the capital and wins in the Palakkad and Tripunithura municipalities, the broader state results showed a resurgence for the UDF. Out of Kerala’s six municipal corporations, the UDF claimed four—Kollam, Kochi, Thrissur, and Kannur—leaving the LDF and BJP with one each. In Thrissur, the victory was slightly overshadowed by internal drama as UDF councillor Lali James alleged that bribery had influenced the selection of Dr Niji Justin as mayor. Meanwhile, the LDF managed to hold onto its majority in the Kozhikode Corporation.
Perhaps the most surprising story of the day emerged from Pala, a traditional stronghold of the Kerala Congress (Mani). There, 21-year-old Diya Binu Pulikkankandam became the youngest municipal chairperson in Kerala’s history. Diya, who won as an Independent alongside her father and uncle, threw her support to the UDF to unseat the long-standing local power bloc. The young chairperson has already outlined an ambitious agenda for Pala, focusing on hospital facilities, tourism, and the persistent local issue of stray dogs.
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