Kerala BJP Councillor Agrees Not To Step Down Days After Handing In Letter

BJP councillor and former Kerala police chief R Sreelekha has agreed to withdraw her resignation following discussions with party leaders, easing pressure on the BJP administration in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.

BJP state general secretary S Suresh acknowledged that her announcement had put the party on the defensive, but assured that the issue had been resolved. State BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar is set to meet her.

Speaking to reporters, Suresh said R Sreelekha had not deliberately tried to create a crisis for the party or destabilise the corporation administration. He attributed her message, announcing the resignation on a WhatsApp group, to her state of mind at the time.

"The party was hurt by the resignation announcement," he said, adding that R Sreelekha herself had helped resolve the issue.

R Sreelekha, who represents Sasthamangalam ward, had cited personal reasons for stepping down. She handed her resignation letter to mayor VV Rajesh on September 30. However, the corporation secretary had not received the letter, leaving the formal process incomplete.

Her decision threatened to weaken the BJP's narrow numerical advantage. The party had 50 councillors in the 101-member corporation and secured power with an independent's support. Had her resignation taken effect, its own strength would have fallen to 49, leaving that combination with 50 members.

Her decision of not stepping down offers immediate relief to the BJP, though the administration would not have fallen automatically due to her resignation. A no-confidence motion against the mayor would require the support of 51 councillors, a majority of the council's sanctioned strength.

The episode has brought her differences with the leadership back into focus. R Sreelekha had earlier expressed disappointment over being overlooked for the mayoral post after being projected as the party's face during the corporation election campaign.

Congress councillor K S Sabarinadhan, who represents neighbouring Kowdiar, criticised her resignation announcement as a blow to voters' trust. He alleged that residents of her ward had been approaching him for assistance because their concerns were not being addressed by the BJP leader.