Meet R Sreelekha, ex-DGP who could be BJP's first Thiruvananthapuram mayor

The BJP's historic civic poll win in Kerala's capital has put the spotlight on R Sreelekha, the retired DGP who delivered a big ward victory and is now seen as a frontrunner for mayor

The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJPs) breakthrough win in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation elections has upended decades of Left dominance in Kerala’s capital, with a retired senior police officer emerging as a key face of the shift. R Sreelekha, Kerala’s first woman IPS officer, delivered a commanding ward-level victory that has now placed her at the centre of speculation over who will lead the city’s civic body next.

 

The BJP emerged as the single largest party in the 101-member Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, winning 50 wards in the civic elections counted on Saturday. The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front secured 29 seats, while the Congress-led United Democratic Front won 19. Two wards were won by independent candidates.

 

Though the BJP fell just one seat short of an outright majority, the result marked a decisive political shift in a city long regarded as a Left stronghold. 

 

The decision now rests with the BJP who will be the party's pick for the mayor post.

 

Who is R Sreelekha?

 

Born and raised in Thiruvananthapuram, Sreelekha became Kerala’s first woman IPS officer in January 1987. Over a career spanning more than three decades, she headed police units in several districts and served in key agencies, including the CBI, the Kerala Crime Branch, Vigilance, the Fire Force, the Motor Vehicles Department and the Prison Department.

 

In 2017, she was promoted as Director General of Police, becoming the first woman in Kerala to attain the rank. During her tenure with the CBI, she earned the nickname ‘Raid Sreelekha’ for her anti-corruption work and high-profile raids. She retired in December 2020 after more than 33 years in public service.

 

After retirement, Sreelekha remained in the public spotlight, notably for her comments claiming actor Dileep was falsely implicated in the 2017 sexual assault case involving a fellow actor. More recently, she drew attention by questioning the delay in filing a sexual harassment complaint against expelled Congress leader Rahul Mamkootathil.

 

She joined the BJP in October 2024, saying she was influenced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sreelekha has maintained that she had no political affiliations during her police career and served without political bias.

 

Sreelekha's electoral win

 

Sreelekha, who contested from the Sasthamangalam division, won by a massive margin, making her one of the most prominent faces of the BJP’s surge. Her victory has triggered intense political speculation over whether the 64-year-old former DGP will be the party’s choice for mayor. If appointed, she would become the BJP’s first mayor in Thiruvananthapuram.

 

Asked about the possibility, Sreelekha said the decision rested with the party leadership. "I have come to know that no candidate has secured such a lead in the Sasthamangalam ward before....we thank the people for the verdict," she was quoted as saying by PTI.

 

Other contenders in the mayoral race

 

VV Rajesh, a former BJP district president, is also in the fray for the mayor's post. According to Onmanorama, Rajesh also remained tightlipped about the mayor's name, saying the BJP will decide on the name of the mayor for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.

 

(With inputs from agencies)