Vyshna voter list controversy: Fingers now point at Thiruvananthapuram Mayor Arya Rajendran

Thiruvananthapuram: Allegations have emerged that the removal of Congress candidate Vyshna Suresh from voters list of Muttada ward was done by a Corporation-centred political-administrative nexus. Congress leader K Muraleedharan claims that Mayor Arya Rajendran personally visited the Corporation offices and coordinated with officials to nullify Vyshna’s vote. The complaint states that left-leaning organisational leaders spearheaded this operation.

The Election Commission found serious lapses on the part of the Additional Secretary in charge of the Corporation elections, the hearing officer and the investigating officers. However, Congress alleges that it was not only officials acting independently, but a conspiracy directed by CPM leaders.

The CPM candidate in Muttada is a current councillor and a trusted member of the administrative committee. The controversy reportedly began when the UDF fielded its youngest candidate, prompting attempts to remove her through backdoor tactics. Congress alleges that officials, from Additional Secretary Sajikumar to the bill collector who handled the investigation, acted on CPM directives, and that legal action will be pursued.

The complaint further claims that officials, emboldened by CPM’s assurances of protection, disregarded even the basic legal norms of the election. Moreover, on the day the High Court ordered a review of the annulled vote, certain officials, allegedly led by members of the Mayor’s office, reportedly visited Vyshna’s residence and coerced residents into signing papers. Video evidence of the incident has surfaced. Authorities have not provided clarification on why Corporation officials went to the house. The documents were supposedly obtained under the pretext of submission to the Election Commission, but the video suggests that once officials’ presence was recognised, the signed papers were withheld.

Congress alleges that the officials misused their positions to intimidate tenants for the benefit of the complainant and the left candidate, with the main conspiracy originating from within the Corporation. It further maintained that the High Court intervention exposed the planned manipulation.

Despite serious allegations raised by UDF, however, neither CPM nor the old administrative committee has responded.

CPM district secretary V Joy recently claimed that CPM had no involvement in her vote removal and that the Election Commission was responsible.