Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V V Rajesh on Sunday said former Kerala DGP and BJP councillor R Sreelekha would continue in office, denying that she had resigned from the Corporation.The controversy began after a message purportedly posted by Sreelekha in a WhatsApp group of residents in her ward said she had submitted her resignation to the Mayor and would give a copy to the District Collector on October 5.Rajesh had initially said he received a resignation letter from Sreelekha on September 30 but had not sent it to the Corporation Secretary, who is authorised to accept such resignations. He had also said the letter cited personal difficulties.On Sunday, however, Rajesh said there was no resignation letter.“Who told you that she has given the resignation letter? She will continue and I have said it yesterday itself,” he said.When asked about the WhatsApp message attributed to Sreelekha, Rajesh did not directly address it. He instead said there was no threat to the functioning of the Corporation.“You want the governance to take place smoothly. As all desire, the governance will go forward strongly,” he said.
Mayor says Sreelekha will remain councillor
Rajesh said councillors often submit letters seeking funds for their wards or raising issues related to their functioning.“Such a letter was given to me for the smooth operations in the ward. As she is a ruling councillor, I find that some of the matters cited in it require the party’s intervention. Some have to be done by the Mayor. We will address the matters as in letters given by other councillors,” he said.He said Sreelekha would remain a councillor and complete her five-year term.Sreelekha has not yet publicly responded to the conflicting statements over her alleged resignation.
CPM attacks BJP councillor
CPM leader and former minister V Sivankutty criticised Sreelekha and questioned her credibility.“Nothing that Sreelekha says can be believed. Not only that, she will resort to any threat to secure position and power. This should only be viewed as a threat directed at the BJP to gain new positions,” he said.Asked whether Sreelekha was putting pressure on the BJP with a possible move towards the Congress, Sivankutty said some politicians would move wherever they saw greater benefits.“Naturally, some go where there is greater benefit. They will move to wherever they get the maximum advantage,” he said.
Sreelekha’s role in BJP
The BJP took control of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation for the first time last year after securing the support of 51 councillors, including an Independent, in the 101-member civic body.
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Sreelekha was elected from the Sasthamangalam ward on a BJP ticket in last year’s local body elections. She is currently the BJP’s state vice president.Her continuation as a BJP councillor is significant for the party because its majority in the Corporation is narrow and depends on the support of an Independent councillor.Sreelekha also contested the Vattiyoorkavu Assembly seat in April but lost to Congress leader K Muraleedharan.
