Eyebrows rose when it was proposed that 21-year-old Arya’s name be that of the mayor, but she is making a quick impression with her clear and confident responses.
On Sunday morning, Anavoor Nagappan, the district secretary of the CPI (M) in Thiruvananthapuram, finally made it official: Arya Rajendran, 21, will be the mayor of City Corporation, the youngest to take the presidency. For two days, word has spread that she will be mayor and that many stories will be written in the media in a short time. But Arya, like members of her party, had given up on commenting on an “assumption.” He prefers to wait, he told dozens of journalists.
A day earlier, Arya walked through the room where she had just won the polls from the local body: Mudavanmugal in Thiruvananthapuram, famous for hosting Mohanlal and his parents. The actor was one of many who called and congratulated young Arya.
Men, women and young children waited outside their homes, and on a street in Kunjalamoodu, party members rose to greet Arya on Saturday night. “His parents have been members of the party for a long time. His father is an electrician and his mother is an LIC agent, ”says a party member, holding the red flag of the CPI (M).
Shortly after 5 p.m. Saturday, Arya arrived in the back seat with her father, the man who had held her hand and taken her to party shows as a child. “I have been told that I have been attending party programs with my father since I was a child, but my first memories are of being involved with the Balasangam – the CPI (M) affiliated children’s organization – since I was a class student. V, ”says Arya, who is now doing her B.Sc. at All Saints College.
It wasn’t just about following in his parents’ footsteps. They would have triggered his entry into politics, but the path he chose was beyond his conviction. “I knew Left was the right way,” he says.
She became active with Balasangam’s work, becoming its state president. At university she became a worker for the student party of the Student Federation of India (SFI) – CPI (M). He is now a member of the SFI state committee and a CPI (M) member of the Kesavadev Road branch. “The organizational experience and the work for her has been very useful during the electoral campaign. I was able to meet people and communicate our ideas very clearly, ”says Arya.
That bit of clarity and confidence has been visible since Friday afternoon when television channels began broadcasting her bytes and interviews, about her name as the city’s mayor. Arya didn’t hesitate with her answers. They were quick, clear and smart. Despite the number of times she was asked about her plans for mayor, she did not assume the air of elected.
Eyebrows were raised, voices of criticism escaped when such a young councilor was nominated as mayor of Kerala’s largest corporation. But Arya spoke without the nervousness of a rookie or the nervousness of a rookie. He spoke of his plans for his Mudavanmugal neighborhood, which he knew would be important to the rest of the city as well.
“Waste management: that’s the main focus for my neighborhood and for the rest of the city. Also important is the creation of a primary health center (PHC) in Mudavanmugal. Especially in the times of COVID-19, it is important that there is a room-level PHC. Many people are reluctant to go to hospitals, especially those with other illnesses and those with children. Therefore, it is very important to have a PHC that is open 24 hours and accessible to everyone. There will also be programs focused on youth, women and students, ”says Arya.
He does not hesitate when the media, almost all, ask him to name a role model.
“When it is a party like the LDF (Democratic Left Front) there will be many people to cite as models, it is a cadre party. Like our respected Chief Minister, who has proven himself to be a crisis manager during these difficult times, and the influence he has had on the common man. It is very important to be a leader who is with the people in times of crisis ”, he says without mincing words.
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