21-year-old Arya Rajendran elected India’s youngest Mayor from Thiruvananthpuram

College student Arya Rajendran has been elected the new mayor of Thiruvananthpuram, the capital city of Kerala. This makes her the youngest Mayor in the state. 

Rajendran, a BSc Maths second-year student at the All Saints College, has won from the Mudavanmughal ward of the city corporation, gaining 2,872 votes.

Renowned Indian film actor and director Kamal Haasan congratulated her on her victory. 

“Heartfelt congratulations to Comrade Arya Rajendran who took over as the Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram at a very young age. In Tamil Nadu too, the “Mather Force” is preparing for change,” he tweeted. 

Arya is the daughter of CPI(M) activists K Rajendran and Sreelatha. 

“From the time I remember my childhood, I was going to Balasangham (the childrens’ wing of CPI(M)). May be from around the age of 5. I am now the State President for Balasangham. I am also the Students Federation of India state committee member. My parents are branch committee members of CPI(M). And we firmly believe in what the party stands for”, she recently told NDTV.

In the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation election, LDF won the majority, claiming 53 of the 100 seats, followed by NDA.