M K Varghese

M K Varghese (born June 4, 1956) is the ninth and the incumbent mayor of Thrissur city, Kerala. He represents the 16th division of Nettissery of Thrissur Municipal Corporation as an independent candidate.

Early and personal life

Verghese entered public life after retiring from the Indian Army, where he served from 1975 to 1986. His political journey began in earnest following a grassroots struggle to ensure clean drinking water for residents near his home.

This initiative led to the formation of a Janasevana Samithi (public service committee), where he served as president. His leadership grew through the ranks, eventually becoming the district president of ACTS (Action for Community Transformation Society).

Verghese's early political career was with the Indian National Congress, winning as a councillor in 2000 and 2010. However, after being denied a ticket in the latest election, he contested independently and secured the mayoralty. He hails from the Menachery family and is the eldest of five children of the late Kochappu and Mary. He also served as the former executive director of Jawahar Bal Bhavan Thrissur.

Controversies

Varghese has ignited political controversy within Kerala's Left Democratic Front (LDF) due to his public praise and apparent camaraderie with BJP MP and Union Minister Suresh Gopi. He has lauded Gopi's contributions to Thrissur's development, a stance that has drawn criticism from LDF allies, particularly the Communist Party of India.

In April 2024, during the 2024 Indian general election campaign, M.K. Varghese described Suresh Gopi as "fit to be Thrissur’s MP," highlighting his qualities and connection with the masses. This endorsement was seen as a deviation from the LDF's ideological position, especially since Gopi was the BJP candidate opposing the LDF's own nominee, V. S. Sunil Kumar.

The situation escalated when Varghese and Gopi publicly praised each other at the inauguration of an Ayushman Arogya Mandir in Thrissur. Varghese acknowledged Gopi's developmental initiatives, while Suresh Gopi commended Varghese for implementing schemes he had proposed as a Rajya Sabha MP.

In December 2024, Varghese found himself at the center of another political controversy after accepting a Christmas cake from Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party president K. Surendran (politician). The gesture, which occurred during the BJP's "Sneha Sandesha Yatra," was perceived by CPI leader V.S. Sunil Kumar as a deliberate political move, given that Surendran did not offer cakes to any other mayors in the state.

In response, Varghese dismissed the allegations as baseless and accused Sunil Kumar of attempting to make him a scapegoat for his electoral defeat. He defended the cake exchange as a sincere gesture of goodwill during the festive season and questioned the rationale behind politicising such an act.

References

{{Thrissur topics

Living people
Mayors of Thrissur
1956 births