Kerala: From the primary lady to change into an IPS officer in Kerala in 1987 to the state’s first lady to ascend to DGP rank in 2017, R. Sreelekha has many firsts to her credit score in a public service profession spanning over 33 years.

She can be credited with decreasing highway fatalities throughout her tenure as transport commissioner, although the change was additionally as a consequence of coverage measures. She additionally earned the moniker “Raid Sreelekha” for her high-visibility operations whereas on deputation with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Her stint with the BJP additionally assumes significance, as she had a strained relationship with the Left Democratic Entrance (LDF) authorities in the direction of the top of her service. Sreelekha had spoken out about systemic gender discrimination in her profession and even skipped a proper farewell on her final day in service.

Chatting with ThePrint about her foray into electoral politics, Sreelekha mentioned her candidacy sends a constructive message to the folks.

“That is historic. Nowhere else has a retired IPS officer been fielded for Panchayat polls. I feel solely the BJP can do it. It’s a chance for me to point out the those who the BJP desires a senior-ranking officer to work on the grassroots,” she mentioned.

A victory would mark the start of her political profession. Her candidacy is essential for the BJP as properly. The social gathering has been working arduous to wrest management of the Thiruvananthapuram Company and improve its vote share within the state.

A number of BJP leaders ThePrint spoke with mentioned that the social gathering excessive command and Union Dwelling Minister Amit Shah are straight monitoring the native physique elections this time.

In Kerala, the BJP is but to see main success in statewide elections. It, nonetheless, goals to safe 25 % of the vote share within the upcoming Panchayat polls, based on social gathering insiders. These elections are being seen as a curtain-raiser earlier than subsequent yr’s state meeting polls.

Within the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP-led Nationwide Democratic Alliance secured 19.24 % of the votes in Kerala. It additionally marked its first-ever Lok Sabha win within the state, from Thrissur. Now, it’s seeking to improve its footprint within the southern state.

State-based political analyst Ok.P. Sethunath, sharing his opinion, nonetheless, mentioned that the retired IPS officer won’t have the ability to make a major influence.

“She doesn’t have a lot affect among the many BJP cadre or the general public. Therefore, she might not, ultimately, create a lot influence. However she is taking this election as a status matter and is working very arduous,” Sethunath mentioned.

The Communist Social gathering of India (Marxist) additionally echoed this sentiment.

CPI(M) State Secretary M.V. Govindan advised the media that the social gathering is banking on its standard candidates, who’ve already been working among the many folks.

“Whoever it’s, MLA or DGP, it doesn’t matter. CPI(M)’s candidates know the folks and their issues,” he mentioned.

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Sreelekha’s marketing campaign

Retired in 2020, Sreelekha joined the BJP in October 2024, within the presence of then State social gathering president Ok. Surendran. She is the third retired IPS officer from Kerala to hitch the BJP post-retirement. Earlier than her, former DGP Jacob Thomas joined the BJP in 2021, and T.P. Senkumar in 2017.

“All three IPS officers joined the social gathering as they have been properly conscious of the misgovernance of the LDF and UDF governments, right here. As soon as they joined, they labored as strange cadres,” declared Sreevaraha Vijayan, the BJP vice-president in Thiruvananthapuram.

Fielded from Thiruvananthapuram’s Sasthamangalam ward, Sreelekha, together with native social gathering functionaries, kicked off her marketing campaign on 12 November.

The chief has maintained her calm manner whereas visiting voters door-to-door. She typically begins with a short introduction because the BJP’s candidate.

“We don’t want an introduction from you. I used to be very completely happy to see you contesting. I believed you’ll go for the meeting polls. This can be a probability so that you can serve. You’ll win,” mentioned a voter as she entered their home.

Sreelekha mentioned that she didn’t discover a lot distinction between her earlier profession and her present political work, apart from the uniform, and that she had been receiving a heat welcome from many houses.

“Earlier, I used to be carrying khaki. Now it’s saffron, that’s it,” she mentioned, including that as a political chief, she would now have the ability to work straight for the folks on the grassroots.

She mentioned forward of the Panchayat polls, the social gathering was highlighting the necessity for a corruption-free administration, total social and infrastructural improvement, and the usage of expertise for civic points, akin to highway infrastructure and waste administration.

Managalath Manoj, an area BJP functionary concerned in her district marketing campaign, advised ThePrint the social gathering was assured of her victory as Sreelekha “doesn’t want any introduction”.

Manoj additional mentioned that the BJP, with its 35 councillors within the 100-ward Thiruvananthapuram Company, can be actively concerned in native district issues, and that enhances the social gathering employees’ confidence.

Profession & controversies

In her 33-year profession, Sreelekha is most remembered for her tenure because the transport commissioner. Between 2013 and 2015, the division was credited with incomes extra income and recording fewer highway casualties.

Past the transport division, she has additionally served as a further director common of police within the vigilance and anti-corruption bureau, as a DGP heading the Kerala Fireplace & Rescue Providers, and because the superintendent of police and deputy inspector common of police in a number of districts.

However her profession was not with out controversy.

In 2016, Sreelekha wrote in a Fb publish that now-retired IPS officer Tomin Thachankary had been troubling her for 29 years and colluding to get a vigilance case filed in opposition to her over an alleged tax fraud.

Sreelekha once more drew consideration in 2022, when she mentioned in a Malayalam Manorama interview that she had executed favours for actor Dileep, when he was in jail in 2017 for allegedly assaulting an actress. Claiming she knew the actor personally, she mentioned the care she offered was out of kindness.

In the identical interview, she alleged widespread sexual harassment confronted by girls cops within the system. She additionally mentioned that she had intervened to save lots of a girl officer from a senior DGP. Sreelekha added that she herself had confronted gender-based discrimination and disobedience from officers—behaviour which, she mentioned, wouldn’t have occurred had she been a person.

On the time, the Kerala Police Affiliation dismissed these allegations.

“Within the police, it was dangerous as a result of I used to be the primary lady IPS officer. Typically, too, girls are few and never given alternatives within the mainstream. However in politics, there may be nothing like that. In native physique polls, there’s a 50 % reservation, and many ladies are strolling with me from as early as 7 am for the marketing campaign,” Sreelekha advised ThePrint.

(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)

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