R Sreelekha became Kerala's first IPS woman officer in January 1987 (Photo:X)
The Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as the single largest party in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, bringing an end to 45 years of uninterrupted Left rule-an unprecedented political shift in Kerala’s history. Central to this breakthrough is R Sreelekha, Kerala’s first woman IPS officer, whose decisive win from the Sasthamangalam ward has made her a top contender for the state capital’s mayoral post.
The results of the 101-member Thiruvananthapuram Corporation elections marked a turning point in the city’s politics. The BJP won 50 wards, the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front secured 29 seats and the Congress-led United Democratic Front bagged 19.
Independents claimed two wards. Although the BJP fell just one seat short of an outright majority, the party’s performance was a signal of the big political shift in a Left stronghold.
R Sreelekha’s landslide victory in Sasthamangalam, said to be the largest lead on record in that ward, provided the extra vigor to BJP’s unprecedented surge. On whether she would take the mayoral mantle, Sreelekha said the decision is left to the party leadership.
Hailing from Thiruvananthapuram, R Sreelekha became Kerala’s first IPS woman officer in January 1987. In more than three decades of service, she worked in several districts and assumed important responsibilities in pivotal agencies: CBI, Kerala Crime Branch, Vigilance, Fire Force, Motor Vehicles Department, and the Prison Department.
In 2017, she accomplished the rare feat of climbing to the top by becoming Kerala’s first woman DGP. In her charge under CBI, she did rounds of raids on ministers, bureaucrats, and businesspeople and earned the tag ‘Raid Sreelekha’ as she took no hostages in corruption. During her service of more than 33 years, she retired in December 2020, leaving behind the legacy of integrity and public service.
Even after retirement, Sreelekha was in the news. She had come up with controversies ove high-profile cases, including remarks on the 2017 sexual assault case involving actor Dileep, comments on delayed complaints against expelled Congress leader Rahul Mamkootathil, among others.
She joined the BJP in October 2024, with the reported influence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi being a strong factor. She has maintained that her police career was apolitical and that she served without bias.
The victory of R Sreelekha from Sasthamangalam and her stature as a woman officer who for long has been a path breaker has granted her a front-runner status for the post. She will be the first BJP mayor in Thiruvananthapuram if appointed, a city long considered as a Left bastion.
Her journey from the police force into civic politics was marked by a unique amalgam of experience, leadership, and public trust that catapulted her to be an influential figure in the evolving political landscape of Kerala.
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Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
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