Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V V Rajesh left for an eight-day visit to the United States, with programmes scheduled in Philadelphia, Texas, Washington, New York and Houston. The itinerary included participation in a FOKANA conference and meetings with local representatives and community figures. He was expected to return on August 10. During the absence, Deputy Mayor G S Asha Nath was assigned charge of the corporation's mayoral responsibilities, according to the report.