Kerala's first woman DGP R. Sreelekha resigns as BJP councillor in Thiruvananthapuram
Synopsis
Kerala's first woman DGP turned BJP councillor, R. Sreelekha, has quit the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation just months after reportedly being passed over for the mayoral post she was allegedly promised. Her exit trims BJP's council strength to 49 in a 101-member house and could trigger a by-election — making a 'personal' resignation very much a political crisis.
Key Takeaways
Sreelekha , Kerala's first woman Director General of Police , resigned as BJP councillor of Sasthamangalam ward on 30 September 2026 .
She submitted her resignation to Mayor V.V.
Rajesh , citing personal reasons; the Corporation secretary — the designated recipient under rules — had not received it as of reporting.
Sreelekha was reportedly assured of the mayoralty before the December 2025 elections, but the post went to V.V.
Rajesh after BJP formed the administration.
Her exit would reduce BJP's council strength from 50 to 49 in the 101-member Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
A by-election in Sasthamangalam ward is expected if the resignation is formally accepted.
BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar was out of the city; the party is working to persuade her to withdraw.
Former Kerala Director General of Police R. Sreelekha — the first woman to hold that rank in the state — has resigned as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor representing the Sasthamangalam ward in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, in a development that has caught the party off guard. Sreelekha submitted her resignation to Corporation Mayor V.V. Rajesh on 30 September 2026, citing personal reasons, and informed ward residents through a personal message.
How the Resignation Unfolded
Sreelekha communicated her decision directly to Mayor Rajesh and said a copy of the resignation letter would also be submitted to the Thiruvananthapuram district collector. However, the procedural path of the resignation remains contested. Corporation Deputy Mayor Asha G. Nath said she had no prior information and learnt of it only through media reports. The Corporation secretary said the resignation letter had not yet reached him — and under Corporation rules, it is the secretary who is the designated recipient of such a submission. Mayor Rajesh, meanwhile, confirmed he holds the resignation letter.
The procedural gap — resignation routed to the Mayor rather than the secretary — has left open the possibility of the letter being returned or deemed invalid, buying time for the party to attempt persuasion. Notably, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar was reportedly out of Thiruvananthapuram at the time, and the state BJP leadership is understood to be working to persuade Sreelekha to withdraw her resignation.
The Backstory: A Mayoral Promise That Did Not Materialise
Sreelekha's entry into electoral politics drew considerable attention. She contested the December 2025 Corporation elections as a high-profile BJP candidate after retiring from police service, and won the Sasthamangalam ward with a comfortable majority. Her candidature was widely seen as significant given her standing as a retired top cop, and she was reportedly assured that she would be made mayor if the BJP came to power in the Corporation.
The BJP emerged as the single largest party in the 101-member council and, with the support of Independent councillor P. Radhakrishnan, formed the administration — a historic first for the party in the Corporation. However, when the mayoralty was decided, Sreelekha did not receive the post. Full-time frontline BJP leader V.V. Rajesh was instead appointed mayor. The outcome reportedly disappointed Sreelekha's supporters and triggered quiet but persistent discussions within BJP circles.
Intra-Party Tensions Come Back into Focus
According to reports, differences between Sreelekha and sections of the BJP leadership had surfaced almost from the moment she joined the Corporation. Her resignation now brings those fault lines into public view, even as she has publicly attributed her exit only to personal reasons. This is the second electoral reverse of sorts for Sreelekha in quick succession: after her Corporation win, she was fielded by the BJP in the Vattiyoorkavu Assembly constituency a few months later and finished third in that contest.
What Her Exit Means for the Corporation
If the resignation is accepted, the BJP's strength in the council would drop from 50 to 49 in a 101-member house. The party's administration already depends on Independent support, and the margin would narrow further. A by-election in the Sasthamangalam ward is likely to follow, adding another layer of political significance to what Sreelekha has described as a personal decision.
The BJP leadership's response in the coming days — and whether Sreelekha formally withdraws or confirms her resignation through the correct procedural channel — will determine the immediate political fallout in Kerala's capital city.
Point of View
Where veteran apparatchiks tend to corner key posts. The mayoralty dispute is a textbook case — bring in a marquee name, benefit from the electoral halo, then sideline her when it matters. More broadly, the BJP's historic first run of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation is now clouded by internal friction before it has even completed a year, and a by-election in Sasthamangalam will be an early stress-test of whether the party can hold its ground in a city it was never supposed to govern.
NationPress
3 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did R. Sreelekha resign as BJP councillor in Thiruvananthapuram?
Sreelekha cited personal reasons in her resignation submitted on 30 September 2026. However, reports suggest longstanding differences with sections of the BJP leadership, rooted in her reportedly being passed over for the mayoral post she was allegedly promised before the December 2025 Corporation elections.
Who is R. Sreelekha?
R. Sreelekha is a retired Indian Police Service officer who became the first woman to hold the rank of Director General of Police in Kerala. She joined the BJP after retirement and won the Sasthamangalam ward seat in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation elections in December 2025.
Is Sreelekha's resignation procedurally valid?
The resignation's validity is in question. Sreelekha submitted the letter to Mayor V.V. Rajesh, but under Corporation rules the resignation must be submitted to the Corporation secretary. The secretary confirmed he had not received the letter, which could allow the party to seek withdrawal before it is formally processed.
How does Sreelekha's resignation affect BJP's strength in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation?
If accepted, the resignation would reduce BJP's councillor count from 50 to 49 in the 101-member council. The party already relies on Independent support to run the administration, and the reduced margin makes Independent backing even more critical.
What happens next after Sreelekha's resignation?
The BJP leadership is trying to persuade Sreelekha to withdraw her resignation. If she does not, and the resignation is formally processed through the correct channel, a by-election in Sasthamangalam ward will likely follow, adding fresh political stakes to the situation.
