Thiruvananthapuram: BJP councillor and former Kerala Director General of Police (DGP) R Sreelekha has decided not to go ahead with her resignation from the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation after senior party leaders intervened and held discussions with her.

Sreelekha, who represents the Sasthamangalam ward, had announced her decision to resign from the 101-member corporation council, creating uncertainty over the BJP-led administration’s narrow majority. However, after talks with the BJP leadership, she has decided to continue as a councillor, easing the immediate pressure on the party.

The development came a day after Sreelekha’s resignation move had triggered speculation about a possible governance crisis in the corporation. The BJP-led administration currently depends on a narrow majority, with the party having secured 50 seats in the 101-member council and an Independent councillor’s support taking the NDA tally to 51.

Had Sreelekha’s resignation been formally accepted, the BJP’s strength would have fallen to 49 and the NDA’s effective strength to 50, below the 51 needed for a simple majority in the full council.

BJP leadership intervenes after resignation move

Sreelekha had submitted a resignation letter to Mayor V V Rajesh, citing personal reasons. However, the resignation had not completed the prescribed formal process because it had not been submitted to the Corporation Secretary, who is the competent authority for receiving such a resignation.

The BJP leadership subsequently stepped in to persuade her to reconsider the decision.

Senior leaders, including state BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, held discussions with Sreelekha. Following the talks, the former DGP decided to remain in the corporation.

BJP leaders have played down reports of a political rupture and said Sreelekha has been facing health and administrative difficulties. The party leadership has indicated that it would extend support to her in addressing those concerns.

The reversal means that the immediate threat to the BJP-led corporation administration’s numbers has been reduced.

Resignation move had triggered political reactions

Before Sreelekha changed her decision, the resignation announcement prompted strong reactions from the opposition.

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) and CPI(M) had been closely monitoring the situation, with senior leaders saying they would consider their options if the development resulted in a governance crisis.

CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan had described the matter as an internal issue of the BJP but said the Left would respond if the corporation’s functioning was affected.

LDF convenor and senior CPI(M) leader T P Ramakrishnan also said the developments could influence the political dynamics in Kerala, while stopping short of predicting an immediate change in the corporation administration.

The LDF had previously ruled the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation for 45 years before the BJP-led NDA took control following the 2025 local body elections.

With Sreelekha now deciding to remain in office, the immediate opening for the opposition to challenge the corporation’s majority has narrowed.

BJP had relied on one-seat majority

The political significance of Sreelekha’s move came from the corporation’s closely balanced numbers.

The 101-member council requires 51 members for a simple majority. The BJP had won 50 seats, while the support of an Independent councillor had allowed the NDA to cross the majority mark.

Sreelekha’s proposed resignation therefore had the potential to take the BJP below its existing strength and leave the administration dependent on political negotiations to continue governing.

Reports said the BJP leadership moved quickly to prevent such a situation and sought to resolve the issue before the resignation became formally effective.

The latest decision keeps the BJP’s 50 councillors in place and preserves the existing arithmetic of the NDA-led administration.

Sreelekha had been linked to mayoral expectations

Sreelekha’s resignation announcement came amid reports of differences following the BJP’s decision to appoint V V Rajesh as Mayor.

The former DGP had been projected as a possible mayoral candidate after the BJP-led NDA won control of the corporation. Rajesh was eventually chosen for the post.

Reports subsequently indicated that Sreelekha was unhappy with aspects of the party’s handling of the corporation, although she cited personal reasons for her resignation.

Sreelekha, Kerala’s first woman IPS officer, joined the BJP after retiring as DGP. She later contested the Vattiyoorkavu Assembly constituency but finished third in the election.

The BJP leadership has rejected the suggestion that the resignation move necessarily represented a broader political break between Sreelekha and the party.

LDF had kept its options open

The LDF had initially avoided committing itself to any specific move following the resignation announcement.

CPI(M) leaders said the situation would have to be assessed by the party’s local leadership in Thiruvananthapuram. They indicated that any decision would depend on whether the BJP’s internal developments translated into a genuine governance problem.

The UDF had also previously attempted to challenge the BJP-led corporation administration. In June, it moved a no-confidence motion, but the move was dropped after the LDF decided not to support it.

That political arithmetic could have become relevant again had Sreelekha’s resignation gone through.

With her decision now reversed, however, neither the LDF nor the UDF immediately faces a changed numerical situation in the council.

BJP seeks to move past controversy

The BJP leadership is now expected to focus on retaining stability within the corporation and resolving the issues that prompted Sreelekha to announce her resignation.

The party has maintained that the former DGP remains part of the organisation and that her concerns can be addressed through internal discussions.

Sreelekha’s decision not to resign also means the corporation’s administration can continue without an immediate change in its majority position.

The episode, however, has highlighted how closely balanced the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation remains. With the BJP holding 50 seats and relying on an Independent councillor for the majority mark, even a single change in the council can have political consequences.

For the LDF, the episode provided an opportunity to examine whether developments within the BJP could affect the corporation’s functioning. That possibility has now receded following Sreelekha’s decision to continue.

Corporation administration remains unchanged

For now, V V Rajesh will continue as Mayor and Sreelekha will remain the BJP councillor representing Sasthamangalam.

The BJP-led administration retains its existing numerical position, while the LDF and UDF remain in opposition.

Sreelekha’s brief resignation episode nevertheless exposed the narrow margin on which the corporation administration operates and the importance of maintaining unity within the BJP-led council.

Any future resignation, defection or change in support could again affect the balance of power in the 101-member corporation. For the moment, however, the immediate crisis has eased after Sreelekha agreed to remain in office.