Arya Rajendran, a 21-year-old college student, will be the next mayor of the Thiruvananthapuram corporation. She would apparently be the youngest mayor in the country.
The CPM district secretariat, which met on Friday, nominated her to the plum post. The party is yet to issue an official statement regarding the decision.
A BSc Mathematics student of All Saints College, Thiruvananthapuram, Arya was elected the councillor of Mudavanmugal ward in the recent local body elections. She defeated UDF's Sreekala by 2,872 votes.
Arya is the state president of the Bala Sangham and a state office-bearer of the SFI, the student wing of the CPM.
Arya told reporters that she would be glad to take up the responsibility entrusted to her by the party.
Jameela Sreedharan, who won from Peroorkada, and Gayathri Babu of Vanchiyoor ward, were also considered for the mayor post.
Arya is the daughter of Rajendran, an electrician, and LIC agent Sreelatha.
Thiruvananthapuram witnessed a fierce battle in the local body polls with the CPM-led LDF and the BJP coming face to face. At the end, the LDF managed to secure a simple majority (51 seats) and the NDA could not even hold on to its 2015 tally of 35 (it had only 34 this time). The UDF, which had 21 seats last time, was reduced to 10.
