Arya Rajendran, a 21-year-old CPI(M) leader, was sworn in Monday as the youngest mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Coporation, the largest urban body in Kerala.
Collector Navjot Khosa administered the oath of office to Rajendran inside a packed, history-in-the-making council hall after the latter was elected mayor with 54 votes out of 99 votes.
As soon as the news of Arya Rajendran being the youngest mayor in India got the spotlight, she has been receiving support from many prominent figures. The latest in line to congratulate her is actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan. He took to Twitter to say “Heartfelt congratualtions to comrade Arya Rajendran who took over as the Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram at a very young age. In Tamil Nadu too, the ‘Mother Force’ is preparing for change.
மிக இளம் வயதிலேயே திருவனந்தபுரம் மேயராகப் பொறுப்பேற்றுள்ள தோழர் ஆர்யா ராஜேந்திரனுக்கு மனமார்ந்த வாழ்த்துக்கள். தமிழகத்திலும் எம் "மாதர் படை" மாற்றத்திற்குத் தயாராகி விட்டது. pic.twitter.com/ipEDlTiIrv
— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) December 28, 2020
Earlier Mollywood actor Mohanlal wished the young mayor over the phone. Mohanlal, who is also from the Mudavanmukal ward- from where Arya was elected to the corporation council- wished her luck in her new endeavour and promised to drop by her house the next time he was in town.
Thiruvananthapuram MP and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and industrialist Gautam Adani, Chairman and founder of Adani Group also wished Arya.
Rajendran’s nomination to the mayor’s post was a surpise choice by the CPI(M). It is seen as the party’s strategy to thank younger voters who stood with them in this election. The party choose Rajendran as she’s been with the CPM since class five when she took membership in the Balasangham and her family have been supporters for the CPI(M) for many decades.
Arya Rajendran is a second-year BSc Mathematics student at All Saints College in Thiruvananthapuram.
