Who is R Sreelekha? From Kerala's first woman DGP to BJP's frontrunner for Thiruvananthapuram mayor

R Sreelekha

In a seismic political shift, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has shattered 45 years of continuous Left rule in Thiruvananthapuram, securing a historic victory in the city corporation elections.

As the dust settles on this landmark result, one pivotal question dominates Kerala’s political discourse: will R Sreelekha, the state’s pioneering woman IPS officer, become the capital’s first BJP mayor?

The BJP’s stunning performance, winning 50 of the 100 wards, has fundamentally altered the state’s political landscape, long dominated by the Congress-led UDF and the CPI(M)-led LDF. At the heart of this breakthrough stands Sreelekha, who secured a resounding victory in the Sasthamangalam division.

“I have come to know that no candidate has secured such a lead in the Sasthamangalam ward before,” Sreelekha told reporters, as cited in a TOI report. “We thank the people for the verdict.” When pressed on the mayoral speculation, she deferred to her party’s leadership, stating, “The party would decide on the matter.”

Who is R Sreelekha?

The potential mayoral candidate is no ordinary political novice. Born and raised in Thiruvananthapuram, R Sreelekha carved her name into Kerala’s history in January 1987 by becoming its first woman Indian Police Service (IPS) officer.

Her distinguished career spanned over three decades, featuring postings that ranged from heading district police units to senior roles in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Crime Branch, Vigilance and the Prison Department. She capped her service by becoming Kerala’s first woman Director General of Police in 2017 before retiring in December 2020.

Her transition from a decorated civil servant to a political figure has been closely watched. She formally joined the BJP in October 2024, attributing her decision to the influence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At the time, she emphasised her apolitical career, stating she had “worked without any political bias” since taking her police oath, as reported by TOI.

Post-retirement, Sreelekha has remained in the public eye, often courting controversy. She publicly contended that actor Dileep was falsely implicated in the high-profile 2017 actress sexual assault case. She also questioned the delayed filing of a sexual harassment complaint against expelled Congress leader Rahul Mamkootathil, positions that sparked significant debate.

Now, as the BJP consolidates its unprecedented win in the state capital, the party’s choice for mayor is its next critical decision. Sreelekha has been projected as the NDA’s face for the post, a strategic move that would place a respected, albeit contentious, former civil servant at the helm of the newly conquered civic body.

The BJP’s rare electoral push in Kerala has paid a dramatic dividend in Thiruvananthapuram. With the party breaching this longstanding Left fortress, the anointment of R Sreelekha as mayor would not only be a political masterstroke but also a symbolic full-circle moment for the native daughter turned trailblazer, now poised to potentially lead her hometown into a new political era.