Arya Rajendran, a 21-year-old CPI(M) leader, was sworn-in on Monday as the youngest mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
Making history, Collector Navjot Khosa administered the oath of office to Rajendran after she received 54 of the 99 votes cast.
Rajendran’s first formal function as the mayor of Thiruvananthapuram will be at a programme organised by Balasangam, the children’s outfit of the CPI(M) of which she is the state president.
A Surprise Choice
Rajendran’s nomination to the mayor’s post, which is reserved for women this time, was a surprise choice by the CPI(M). In Kerala, fifty percent of seats are reserved for women in local bodies, and as per the rules, women head civic bodies alternatively.
A source close to the party told The Quint that this could be seen as the party’s strategy to represent young voters in this election.
Rajendran had won from the Mudavanmugal ward of the city corporation, bagging 2,872 votes, 549 more than the rival Congress candidate. Thiruvananthapuram Mayor K Sreekumar (CPI-M), had suffered a shock defeat in the polls.
CPM-led LDF had 51 members, BJP 34 members, the Congress-led UDF had 10 members and five members were Independents in the 100-member council.
Started Quite Young
Rajendran’s tryst with politics started quite early as she has been with the CPM since class five when she took membership in the Balasangam.
She is currently the state president of Balasangam, a children’s organisation affiliated to the CPI(M) and is also a state committee member of the Students Federation of India (SFI), the students’ organisation of the CPI(M). She is currently pursuing her BSC at the city’s All Saints College.
She is the daughter of CPI(M) activists K Rajendran and Sreelatha Balasangham is the children's wing of CPI(M) and Students Federation of India and is the party's students wing.
She is the daughter of CPI(M) activists K Rajendran, who is an electrician and Sreelatha Balasangham, an LIC agent. She also has a brother who is also a strong CPI(M) supporter.
Incidentally, this was also the first time Rajendran could exercise her vote in the local body elections due to her age. But she has been campaigning for years together.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)