Thiruvananthapuram: BJP councillor and former Director General of Police R Sreelekha has submitted her resignation letter to Mayor V V Rajesh. She is likely to formally resign from the post on Monday. The Corporation Secretary has not received the letter yet. 

If Sreelekha resigns, BJP's tally in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation will become 49 in the 101-member council.

Sreelekha, who represents the Sasthamangalam ward, sent her resignation letter to the Mayor V V Rajesh on September 30. She submitted the resignation due to personal reasons, the mayor told the media on Saturday. Sreelekha posted a message on the WhatsApp group of her ward saying that she sent her resignation letter to Mayor on September 30 and would officially submit the letter to the Corporation Secretary and District Collector on Monday. Sreelekha has switched off her phone and has not commented on her resignation.

The party members are surprised over the manner of resignation. It is not clear as to why she sent the letter to Mayor and is waiting to submit a formal resignation. 

Sreelekha had earlier been tipped to become the Mayor after the BJP-led NDA secured a majority in the corporation. However, V V Rajesh was subsequently chosen for the post.

The NDA had 51 councillors, including the support of  independent councillor Pattoor Radhakrishnan. Its strength has now fallen to 50 following Sreelekha’s resignation. One of the councillors, R Sugathan, who represents Vazhottukonam ward, is currently lodged at the high-security correctional facility at Viyyur Central Prison in Thrissur after being arrested under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA).

Sreelekha’s resignation comes amid reports of differences between her and the BJP leadership. She had contested the Assembly election from Vattiyoorkavu as the BJP candidate but finished third. There were also allegations that she failed to secure the number of votes expected by the party.