Drama ends, Sreelekha changes her mind, won't quit as TVM corporation councillor
Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation councillor R Sreelekha will not resign after party leaders intervened, with assurances of support for her health and administrative challenges, countering claims of internal party rifts.
Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation councillor R Sreelekha will not resign after party leaders intervened, with assurances of support for her health and administrative challenges, countering claims of internal party rifts.
Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation councillor R Sreelekha will not resign after party leaders intervened, with assurances of support for her health and administrative challenges, countering claims of internal party rifts.
After a day-long drama, Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation councillor R Sreelekha is learnt to have decided not to resign from the post. Senior party leaders held discussions with her and coaxed her into reversing her decision. Officially, she had not submitted the resignation to the Secretary of the Corporation. It was on Saturday that she posted a message on the WhatsApp group of her ward saying that she had sent a letter to Mayor V V Rajesh and that she would send a copy of resignation letter to the District Collector and Corporation Secretary.
The CPM and the Congress pounced on her message and portrayed it as a clear instance of internal rift within the BJP ruling council. BJP leaders told Onmanorama that Sreelekha would not resign as the corporation councillor. The decision came after a major fire-fighting exercise by senior state leaders of the BJP.
S Suresh,General Secretary, BJP Keralam, who was part of discussions with Sreelekha downplayed reports that she decided to quit because she was denied significant posts. "She is currently hospitalised. She has health concerns. She has never had an issue with the party. As a councillor, she faces certain difficulties and we have assured of all possible support. She was very active in the 'padana sibiram' of the party held recently. All other reports are baseless," he told Onmanorama.
He also added that the letter she sent to Mayor V V Rajesh was mostly about administrative and policy matters. When asked why she posted the message on WhatsApp group declaring her decision to quit, he reiterated that it shouldn't be construed as her dissent with the party.
For the time being, the BJP has managed to make her change her mind, but party members and councillors are wary of the damage Sreelekha's action has caused. "It has taken away the attention from the development campaign of the BJP. Though it could not have affected the administrative stability, her move has definitely dented party's image," a senior member said.
The BJP now wants to pivot the attention towards the alleged bribery allegations against CPM's Thrikkanapuram councillor Ajin. Ward level demonstrations will be held in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.