Dalit Leader Asha Nath GS Appointed Deputy Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram, BJP Surprises All

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala municipal election results have brought a historic political development in Thiruvananthapuram. V.V. Rajesh is set to become the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Mayor of the city, while Asha Nath GS has been appointed as the Deputy Mayor, surprising many with her selection.

The BJP secured a majority in the municipal corporation by winning 50 of the 100 wards. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) won 29 seats, the United Democratic Front (UDF) managed 19, and independent candidates won two seats, with one ward’s election postponed due to the death of a candidate. Since the results were announced on 9 December, the BJP has been deliberating over the mayoral and deputy mayoral appointments. State BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar consulted the central leadership twice in New Delhi, reflecting the political significance of the decision. While V.V. Rajesh was a strong contender for the Mayor’s post, the central leadership’s intervention led to the final decision of appointing him as Mayor and selecting Asha Nath as Deputy Mayor.

Asha Nath GS: The Surprise Choice
While V.V. Rajesh’s appointment as Mayor was widely expected, the selection of Asha Nath GS as Deputy Mayor came as a surprise to many. Asha Nath has previously served as a BJP councilor in Thiruvananthapuram for three terms.

Background and Political Journey
Asha Nath belongs to the Dalit community. She contested the 2021 assembly elections from Chirayinkeezhu, improving the party’s vote share by 7%. She is also a prominent social media presence with over 180,000 followers on Facebook and Instagram, and serves on the advisory committee of the Central Film Censor Board.

Asha Nath entered politics in 2017, winning a by-election from the Pappanamcode ward. Her late uncle, Karummam Chandran—a BJP leader who won the same ward in 2015—passed away in 2017 due to an electrocution accident, motivating her to contest and maintain BJP’s stronghold in the ward. In 2025, after ward delimitation, she contested from the newly formed Karummam ward and defeated CPI(M) advocate Sindhu by a comfortable margin of 1,081 votes. During her previous terms as councilor, she was actively involved in civic movements and public initiatives.

Personal Life
Asha Nath holds a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Kerala University and completed her schooling at MSR Higher Secondary School, Trivandrum. She is married to Shiva Kumar and the couple has a daughter and a son.