THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: 21-year-old Arya Rajendran, a second year BSc Maths student, was sworn in as the mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. The corporation council convened here Monday selected Arya as the Corporation Mayor. She got selected to the mayor’s post winning 54 votes. Out of a total 99 members who voted, one vote was invalid. One member could not vote as she was in quarantine.

Out of the total 98 votes polled, Arya got 54 votes while NDA's mayor candidate Simi Jyotish got 35 votes and UDF's mayor candidate Mary Pushpam got nine votes. Many dignitaries including former mayors K Chandrika, V K Prashanth, K Sreekumar and Sivankutty were present at her swearing-in-ceremony. Minister Kadakampally Surendran were present at the swearing-in ceremony.

Arya’s parents Rajendran and Sreelatha were there to watch their daughter swearing in.

The CPM district secretariat meet recommended her name for the mayor’s post. Arya is the state president of Balasangham and state member of the SFI. Arya has clarified that installing primary health centres in each ward is her dream project. This will help to avoid the reluctance of many including children to seek treatment for minor ailments due to fear of catching other illnesses. Waste treatment activities will be intensified. A grand reception will be accorded to children who reach school after a year. She also said that plans will be launched to start self-employment ventures for those who have lost their jobs. Arya wants to continue her studies along with her mayor’s post.