Kerala’s first woman DGP Sreelekha wins as BJP candidate in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation

December 13, 2025

Thiruvananthapuram: Sreelekha, Kerala’s first woman Director General of Police (DGP), registered a victory on Saturday as the BJP candidate from the Sasthamangalam ward of the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation.

This victory has bolstered the party’s claim that it is in a strong position to capture the municipal corporation.

Sreelekha’s win comes at a time when the contest for control of the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation is extremely close, with all three major political fronts locked in a tight race.

The BJP is viewing this victory as a symbolic and political advantage in its efforts to oust the CPI(M)-led Left Front from power in the capital city.

BJP emerges Single Largest Party

Currently, in the 101-member Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, the BJP has emerged as the single largest party with 34 seats, followed by the Left Front with 20 seats and the Congress with 16 seats, while counting for the remaining seats is still underway.

Sreelekha had joined the BJP earlier this year, a move that surprised many.

Her decision to contest as a ward member in the local body elections also became a subject of discussion, especially given her long and distinguished career in the police service, during which she became the state’s first woman DGP.

Controversy During Campaign

However, her election campaign was not without controversy.

On December 9, the day of polling, Sreelekha landed in controversy when she allegedly shared a pre-poll survey on social media.

The post claimed that the BJP-led NDA had an edge in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, drawing sharp criticism from opposition parties.

State Education Minister V. Sivankutty termed it a clear violation of the Model Code of Conduct, stating that publishing or broadcasting pre-poll survey results on polling day is explicitly prohibited by the Election Commission.

He called the incident a serious violation of electoral rules.

Following the controversy, Sreelekha removed the controversial post from her social media accounts. It is worth noting that in the outgoing Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, the CPI(M)-led Left Front held 51 seats out of a total of 100 wards, while the BJP-led NDA had 35 seats. The remaining seats were divided between the Congress-led UDF and independent candidates.