New Delhi, Dec. 26 -- The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday announced former district president VV Rajesh as its candidate for the post of Mayor of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, which the party recently won for the first time, ending 45 years of Left rule.

Woman councillor Asha Nath will be the party's candidate for Deputy Mayor. The names were announced by the party's state general secretary, S Suresh, at a meeting of the newly elected BJP councillors of the corporation and the party's district leaders.

The decision followed prolonged discussions within the party's state and district leadership. Earlier, discussions had focused on retired DGP R Sreelekha as a possible mayoral candidate, but a section of the party is learnt...