Who Is VV Rajesh? BJP's Mayoral Pick For Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation

BJP general secretary S. Suresh announced that V.V. Rajesh, whose political journey began in 1996, would be the party’s Mayor candidate, while Asha Nath, a three-time councillor, would be the Deputy Mayor candidate for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has named 49-year-old V.V. Rajesh as its nominee for Mayor of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, making him the first BJP leader to hold the post and marking a significant shift in the city’s political landscape.

At a meeting of all newly elected BJP councillors held at the party office, BJP general secretary S. Suresh said that every winning councillor was capable of taking on the roles of Mayor or Deputy Mayor. He announced that V.V. Rajesh, whose political journey began in 1996, would be the party’s Mayor candidate, while Asha Nath, a three-time councillor, would be the Deputy Mayor candidate.

Who Is V.V. Rajesh?

V.V. Rajesh has secured his second term in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, representing the Kodunganoor ward. In the 2025 local body elections, he won the seat with a margin of 515 votes. Currently serving as a state secretary of the BJP, Rajesh has previously held key organisational roles, including Thiruvananthapuram district president and state president of the BJP Yuva Morcha. His political career spans nearly three decades, having started in 1996.

R Sreelekha To Contest Assembly Polls

Although there was internal pressure to appoint former DGP R. Sreelekha, who won from the Sasthamangalam ward, as mayor, the party ultimately chose Rajesh. With the Assembly elections just four months away, the BJP is expected to field R. Sreelekha as its candidate from either the Vattiyoorkavu or Thiruvananthapuram Central constituency.

Why Rajesh, Not R Sreelekha?

The BJP's decision to pick Rajesh over Sreelekha was influenced by many factors. First, the experience. Rjaesh has decades of political experience and as the Leader of the Opposition in the corporation, he actively raised allegations of corruption against former mayor Arya Rajendran. Since veteran leaders have been elected on the Left and Congress tickets, the BJP was looking for a politically sound leader as a Mayor to respond to them. Second was a reservation for the Deputy Mayor post. The Dy Mayor post in the corporation is reserved for a woman candidate and with Sreelekha as a Mayor, both posts would have gone to women and thus the BJP inclined towards Rajesh. The third factor is RSS support. The RSS was firm behind Rajesh’s name given his affiliation with the organisation and sound track record.