Twenty one-year-old Arya Rajendran was sworn in as the Mayor of the Thiruvananthapuram city Corporation, after she secured 54 votes in the 100-member Council in the election held on the morning of December 28. She is the youngest to become Mayor till date in the country.
Ms. Arya, a Councillor of the Left Democratic Front (LDF), which has 52 seats in the Council, got the support of three independent Councillors too. Vote cast by the LDF Councillor from the Kachani ward was declared invalid, as she failed to put down her name and affix signature on the ballot paper.
Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, which has 34 seats and the support of an independent Councillor, fielded Simi Jyothish, former chairperson of the Corporation’s tax appeal standing committee, for the Mayor post. The United Democratic Front, which has ten seats, fielded Councillor Mary Pushpam. The BJP candidate secured all 35 party votes, while the UDF candidate received nine votes, owing to the absence of Mulloor ward Councillor, who was under COVID-19 observation.
District Collector Navjot Khosa administered the oath to the new Mayor. Ms. Arya walked onto the dias to an accompaniment by spirited sloganeering from the CPI(M), who had gathered in large numbers. Crackers were burst outside the Corporation office as the Collector handed over the Mayor’s gown to her.
Election to the Deputy Mayor post will be held at 2 p.m.
The LDF will field Pattom ward Councillor P.K.Raju as its candidate, while the BJP will field Palkulangara ward Councillor P. Ashokumar. Akkulam ward Councillor S.Sureshkumar is the UDF candidate.
