BJP makes history in Kerala, VV Rajesh elected Thiruvananthapuram mayor

The Bharatiya Janata Party has marked a historic breakthrough in Kerala by winning its first ever municipal corporation mayoral post, with V.V. Rajesh , elected mayor of the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation on Friday. The result ends nearly four decades of uninterrupted Left Democratic Front rule in the state capital and signals a significant shift in Kerala’s urban political landscape.

Rajesh, a BJP state secretary and Kodunganoor ward councillor, secured 51 votes in the 101 member council, including the support of one Independent councillor. The LDF candidate R.P. Sivaji received 29 votes, while the United Democratic Front nominee K.S. Sabarinathan secured 19 votes, two of which were later declared invalid. The BJP had emerged as the single largest party in the corporation after winning 50 wards in the December 2025 local body elections.

Senior BJP leaders, including state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar , Union Minister Suresh Gopi , and former state president K. Surendran , were present at the corporation office to witness Rajesh’s election and oath taking ceremony.

Describing the moment as historic, Rajesh said he would treat all 101 wards as a single unit and ensure inclusive development. “Our target is to make Thiruvananthapuram one of the top three cities in the country in terms of development. We seek the cooperation of all to achieve this goal,” he said, promising transparent governance and equal focus on every ward.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar called it a landmark day for the BJP in Kerala and dismissed speculation over leadership choices, stating that the mayor was selected by the party leadership. Suresh Gopi said the BJP should have come to power in the corporation earlier and noted that obstacles faced in the past had been overcome this time. He added that the party would move forward step by step through sustained work, responding cautiously to questions about the 2026 Assembly elections.

The BJP’s victory in Thiruvananthapuram stands out in a broader civic election picture where the UDF won four of Kerala’s six municipal corporations, while the LDF and BJP won one each. UDF candidates were elected mayors in Kollam, Kochi, and Thrissur, though the Thrissur result triggered internal dissent. The LDF retained Kozhikode, while the UDF is set to take charge in Kannur.

Another notable outcome was in Pala municipality, where 21 year old Diya Binu Pulikkankandam became Kerala’s youngest municipal chairperson with UDF support, ending Kerala Congress Mani’s long hold over the town.

Thiruvananthapuram, represented in Parliament by senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor , has long reflected Kerala’s complex political character. The BJP’s mayoral win in the capital is being widely viewed as a morale booster for the party and a potential game changer ahead of future local body and Assembly elections in the state.