Stray dogs, pending waste plan, councillor in jail: BJP’s 6 months in TVM

SIX months after it ended the 40-year rule of Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the Thiruvananthapuram city Corporation, promising change, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is struggling to run the local body due to mounting troubles.

Its most pressing priority, according to the Opposition, is protecting a councillor facing multiple attempt-to-murder cases and lodged in jail under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA).

With only 50 seats in the 101-member council and a single independent keeping it in power, the party simply cannot afford to lose one. The KAAPA is a preventive detention law used against habitual offenders.

The Opposition has alleged that the BJP, which came into power with a motto ‘marathathu maarum (what hasn’t changed, will change), was not able to introduce any major policy decisions on issues like waste management or stray dog menace. It had promised to introduce Indore-model waste management in Thiruvananthapuram and provide a permanent shelter for stray dogs. 

The BJP has ignored demands by the Opposition to convene a special council meeting to discuss the case of R Sugathan, a councillor of Vazhottukonam ward who is in custody under KAAPA. 

After an intensive protest by the LDF and UDF councillors, Mayor VV Rajesh convened a council on July 29, that too after a gap of 47 days. The council used to meet at least once in a month during the previous terms.

The recent council meeting ended with councillors engaging in physical assault over an attendance register. UDF leaders alleged that BJP was trying to manipulate the register to protect Sugathan. As per the rules, a councillor can be disqualified if he abstains from three consecutive council meetings without the consent of the council. 

Sughathan went absconding in May 2026 after police booked him for physically assaulting a man during a temple festival in March. On June 10, police dramatically arrested Sugathan from his house. They had to fire warning shots, allegedly to disperse a gang which tried to prevent the arrest.

Sugathan, who was produced at court, was then remanded and shifted to Viyyur jail. Due to this, Sugathan has missed the last two council meetings and an uninformed absence in the next council meeting could lead to a disqualification. Though the Opposition had formally requested Mayor VV Rajesh to convene a special council meeting, it was not considered. 

LDF parliamentary party leader SP Deepak wrote a letter to Chief Minister VD Satheesan seeking urgent intervention of the state government over alleged violations of the Kerala Municipal Act citing delay in convening the council. The LDF has also launched an indefinite satyagraha in front of the Corporation office demanding the removal of Sugathan from the council. 

UDF parliamentary party leader KS Sabarinathan told TNM that the Corporation has delayed convening the council meeting for more than 40 days to protect Sugathan. 

“They were forced to call the council meeting after realising that he can’t easily come out because KAAPA ha been invoked. In Sugathan’s case, Congress believes that law should take its course. Our opposition is to BJP’s attempts to violate rules to protect him. Even in the recent council meeting, BJP members tore apart the attendance book, which, we suspect, was an attempt to help Sugathan,” he said. 

Sabarinathan alleged that governance in the Corporation has collapsed because of one councillor. “File movements have come to a standstill, waste is mounting. They have not met their promise to tackle the stray dog menace. They have not released their vision for the city. The BJP has not been able to govern. They are only concerned about Sugathan and his freedom,” Sabarinathan said. 

Mayor VV Rajesh told the media that the governing council had promised to address issues of stray dog menace, availability of drinking water, waste management and waterlogging in the first year. 

“We were able to provide shelter for street dogs as a pilot project in the first month. Waste management, drinking water and waterlogging need intervention from state and central governments,” he said. 

The ruling BJP has also faced troubles after the Kerala High Court on June 24 ordered fresh swearing in of 20 councillors who had taken oaths in the name of various deities and martyrs.

After the court declared the oaths invalid, 19 councillors, excluding Sugathan, retook their oath, this time in the name of God. The court order came following the petition of LDF parliamentary party leader Deepak who sought action against councillors alleging that their oaths were invalid. As per rules, oaths should either be in the name of God or a solemn affirmation. 

Though the court has directed 20 councillors to retake the oath, Sugathan, lodged in prison, has not been able to do it so far. 

No-confidence motion

Though the UDF tried to move a no-confidence motion, it failed to get support from the LDF. Left front leaders later said that they could not support UDF as it would be against their policy. 

Sabarinathan, however, told TNM that they decided to move a no-confidence motion to initiate a discussion against the mismanagement of the governing body. “The LDF could have made a decision on voting after the discussion,” he said. 

Sources said that the LDF, with 29 members, and UDF, with 20 members, are not thinking of any alliance to oppose the BJP as it would disrupt their political future.

Cases against Sugathan

This is not the first time that Sugathan, councillor of Vazhottukonam ward, has entered the KAAPA list. The BJP had claimed that cases registered against Sugathan arise from his work as a political activist. However, TNM’s review of cases shows that Sugathan is the first accused in nearly a dozen crimes, of which four are attempt-to-murder cases.

His recent arrest happened in connection with an incident during a festival at the Kadayil Mudump temple in Vellaikadavu. 

As per the FIR,  Sugathan, the first accused, beat the victim, Prasanth, using an iron rod on his head during a musical concert. Sugathan, along with four other persons, is accused of attacking Prasanth and two others during the festival. The case has been registered under sections 296(b) (using vulgar language in public),118(1) (causing hurt using weapons),110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 3(5) (criminal act by multiple persons). 

In another case registered in 2025, Sugathan was accused of stabbing a person using a knife. 

After being added to the KAAPA list, Sugathan was shifted to the Viyyur prison in Thrissur.