Thiruvananthapuram, 26 Dec

BJP leader VV Rajesh was elected mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation on Friday after the saffron party won 50 of the 101 wards, marking its first-ever victory in a municipal corporation in Kerala.

In the mayoral election on Friday, Rajesh secured 51 votes, including the support of an Independent councillor.

P Sivaji of the LDF received 29 votes, while UDF candidate K S Sabarinathan secured 19 votes, of which two were later declared invalid.

Senior BJP leaders, including state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, were present at the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation office to witness Rajesh being elected mayor of the state capital.

Former Union minister V Muraleedharan and former BJP state president K Surendran were also present.

Rajesh later took the oath as the mayor of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. The BJP wrested control of the Corporation after nearly four decades of LDF rule.

In Kollam Corporation, UDF’s A K Hafeez was elected mayor, while in Kochi Corporation, UDF councillor V K Minimol, a four-time councillor, was elected mayor.

In Thrissur Corporation, Dr Niji Justin of the UDF was elected mayor, prompting dissent from another councillor, Lali James, who alleged she was denied the post after leaders took bribes.

In Kozhikode Corporation, the LDF won most wards, while in Kannur Corporation, UDF candidate P Indira is set to be elected as the mayor

Of the six municipal corporations in the state, the UDF won four, while the LDF and BJP won one each.

Another milestone was reported in Pala municipality, where 21-year-old Diya Binu Pulikkankandam was elected chairperson with UDF support, making her the youngest municipal chairperson in Kerala.

Diya, along with her father Binu and uncle Biju, contested and won the election as Independents.

They later extended support to the UDF, resulting in the end of Kerala Congress (Mani)’s rule in Pala, considered its traditional stronghold.

Apart from the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the BJP also won in the Municipalities of Tripunithura and Palakkad.