BJP majority under pressure as Thiruvananthapuram councillor considers exit

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s control of the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation faced fresh uncertainty on Saturday after State vice president R. Sreelekha reportedly expressed an intention to resign as councillor for the Sasthamangalam ward. Mayor V.V.

Rajesh said Ms. Sreelekha had handed over a letter referring to personal difficulties, but he did not confirm that it was a resignation. He said a councillor must submit a resignation letter to the Corporation Secretary.

Corporation Secretary J. Muhammed Shafi also said no official resignation had been received. Referring to Section 40 of the Kerala Municipality Act, he said a resignation must be submitted to the Secretary and that no such letter had arrived.

Sreelekha reportedly told members of her ward’s WhatsApp group that she had informed the Mayor by letter on September 30 of her decision to resign for personal reasons. She also said a copy would be submitted to the District Collector on Monday. Rajesh said the party was attempting to address the difficulties mentioned in the letter.

Sreelekha could not be contacted for comment. The reported move follows her earlier dissatisfaction at not being selected for the Mayor’s post. She had contested the State Assembly election from Vattiyurkavu constituency and finished third.

She had also said the party fielded her after promising her the mayoral position. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance currently has 50 seats in the 101-member council and governs with the support of Independents. If Sreelekha formally resigns, the alliance would be left with 49 councillors, according to the source material.

The political effect would depend on whether the resignation takes place and how the supporting Independents respond. For now, the Mayor and Corporation Secretary have both said that no formal resignation has been received, leaving the status of Sreelekha’s seat unresolved.