Sreelekha courts controversy after staying away from BJP councillors’ Delhi trip

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor R. Sreelekha courted controversy on Monday after she decided to stay away from Thiruvananthapuram BJP councillors’ train journey to Delhi to participate in a reception to be accorded to them by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The BJP councillors of the corporation, accompanied by State and district leaders of the party, embarked on the trip in the Kerala Express from the Central Railway Station here on Monday.

Ms. Sreelekha’s decision to not be a part of the journey was widely perceived as an expression of displeasure on her part. She had earlier said that the party had fielded her as a candidate in the local body elections after promising the mayoral post to her. Her early departure from the council hall during the swearing-in of the Mayor as well as her staying put at a corner of the stage when the rest of the BJP leaders went to greet Mr. Modi during his visit to the capital, had also fuelled speculations about her equations with the party.

Later in the day, Ms. Sreelekha claimed in a video posted on her social media pages that the media is attempting to “create smoke without fire”. She said that she had informed the party that she could not take up the long trip due to various reasons.

“At this age, it is difficult for me to take such a long train journey. The party had offered me flight tickets, but I refused the offer as I don’t want the party to spend so much for me. Staying away for five days is difficult as I also have to take care of my mother,” she said.

On the speculations about her plans to contest the upcoming Assembly elections, she said that she is not interested in the same, as she is of the strong opinion that a person who has won an election should not contest in any other level for the next five years.