Kerala BJP councillor says she will remain in Thiruvananthapuram council
Thiruvananthapuram BJP councillor R. Sreelekha appears to have withdrawn from a reported resignation plan after party leaders said she would continue in office. The episode briefly raised concerns for the BJP-led administration, which holds 50 of the 101 council seats with independent support.
R. Sreelekha, a BJP councillor in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, will continue in office after party leaders rejected reports that she had resigned as councillor for Sasthamangalam ward. The development followed a day after Sreelekha reportedly said in a ward WhatsApp group that she had informed Mayor V.V.
Rajesh by letter on September 30 of her intention to resign for personal reasons. The mayor had described the letter as one expressing personal difficulties but did not confirm whether it constituted a resignation. On Sunday, BJP State general secretary S.
Suresh posted a photograph of a visit to Sreelekha in hospital and said she had only expressed concern to close associates about whether she could effectively perform her duties. Suresh said reports of a resignation were incorrect. He also rejected speculation that Sreelekha might join another party or was negotiating for a position.
Her reported WhatsApp message was deleted on Sunday, according to The Hindu. Sreelekha, a former Director General of Police, had previously expressed displeasure after being overlooked for the mayoral post. She had said the party fielded her after promising her the position.
CPI(M) leader V. Sivankutty described the episode as a possible threat to the BJP for new positions. The source material does not record a response from Sreelekha to that criticism.
The reported resignation had political significance because the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance has 50 seats in the 101-member council and governs with support from Independents. Had Sreelekha resigned, the bloc would have been left with 49 councillors. BJP leaders, including Suresh and Mayor Rajesh, said she would remain a councillor.
The party said it would continue governing the corporation.
This independently written report is based on information supplied by the named publisher. Vertrix News has not independently verified the source report.