Arya Rajendran, the 21-year-old college student who successfully contested the recent civic body polls in Kerala, was on Monday elected the next mayor of state capital Thiruvananthapuram, The Indian Express reported. She is the youngest person to occupy the post anywhere in the country.
Collector Navjot Khosa administered the oath of office to Rajendran in a tightly-packed council hall.
She won the civic body elections from Mudavanmugal ward of the city corporation, winning 2,872 votes. The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front won the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation for the second consecutive time. It swept 51 out of the city’s 100 wards. The Bharatiya Janata Party, which had campaigned extensively, managed to win 34 wards and the Congress-led United Democratic Front was pushed to the third spot.
A second-year student of Bachelor of Science in Mathematics at the All Saints College, Rajendran was elected mayor with 54 votes out of 99 votes cast.
The news of her being the mayor designate was praised by people from across the spectrum. “Time for a representative of the 51% of India’s population that’s under 25 to lead,” Congress MP Shashi Tharoor wrote.
Gautam Adani, chairperson and founder of the Adani group, also wished Rajendran on Sunday. “Congratulations to Thiruvananthapuram’s and India’s youngest Mayor, Arya Rajendran,” he tweeted. “Absolutely stunning and India’s demographic dividend at its best. This is how young political leaders shape paths and inspire others to follow. This is Incredible India!”
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