Young Mayor's arrogance seen contributing to rout

A sharp internal disagreement has surfaced within the CPM in Thiruvananthapuram following the party's heavy defeat in the civic body it once dominated, exposing strains over leadership style, accountability and the future direction of the organisation in the state capital.

- HD Bureau

The discord moved into public view after Gayatri Babu, a former councillor of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, posted a pointed message on social media criticising the conduct of the incumbent Mayor, Arya Rajendran. Though the post avoided naming the mayor directly, its references to a "holier-than-thou" approach and the pursuit of personal stature over collective development were widely interpreted within party circles as an attack on Rajendran, triggering debate both inside and outside the CPM.

Gayatri Babu's intervention is notable because of her own history within the Corporation and her standing among grassroots workers. Her post accused the city's leadership of being disconnected from everyday civic concerns, arguing that governance had drifted towards symbolic gestures rather than tangible improvements in infrastructure, sanitation and public services. While she refrained from naming individuals, party insiders said the language left little ambiguity about the target.