Chandrika to be Mayor

In the just-concluded election, Chandrika, the sitting councillor from Muttada, was reelected to the Council from the same seat bagging 1,954 votes against the 1,032 votes secured by UDF’s Silvi Mathew. Chandrika was one among the four LDF candidates who had sought mandate from a general seat.

Many other names, including those of former Mayor J Chandra and two-time councillor Pushpalatha, were doing the rounds for the post of the Mayor. But the LDF has been pushing Chandrika’s name to the forefront from the very beginning of the campaign. Her stint as the councillor of Muttada had earned her much goodwill.

Chandrika, a native of Thiruvalla, had become one with this city through  marriage. Before that, she was in Thiruvananthapuram for her law studies. She had completed her LLB from the Law Academy here. Her graduation was, however, from the Kozhencherry St Thomas College, where her subject was Economics.

She was practising as a junior advocate to criminal lawyer Rishikesan Nair when she got a job with the KSEB. She joined the KSEB in 1976 and had one year of service left when she resigned in 2005 to contest to the  council. She had also revived her law practice then.

Speaking to Expresso, Chandrika said that the Mayor post was a responsibility that she would take up with all sincerity. ‘’It’s a crucial Council, I know, and I will try to evolve a consensus with everyone and keep the Council going with strength,’’ she said.

There are challenges but, she said, the LDF election manifesto will be implemented, which would be her main concern.

On Monday, the new councillors will be sworn in at a ceremony to be held at 11.30 am in the Corporation Council. The eldest member will be administered the oath by the Collector, while the other councillors would be administered the oath by the eldest member.