BJP Shakes Up AMC Candidate List, Retains Only 20% of Sitting Councillors
In a significant move ahead of the local body elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) declared its complete list of 192 candidates for the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) election late on Friday, just before the nomination deadline. The announcement, made in Gandhinagar, reveals a major overhaul, with the party repeating only 20% of its current municipal councillors.
Major Exclusions and Key Retentions
The BJP currently holds 160 councillors in the AMC, but only 32 of them have been repeated in the candidate list. Among the notable exclusions is Mayor Pratibha Jain, who represented the Shahibaug ward. Former mayor Kirit Parmar, who served before Jain, has also been dropped. Additionally, Deputy Mayor Jatin Patel from the Ghatlodia ward, party whip Shital Daga, and Gaurang Prajapati, the leader of the ruling party in the civic body, have been excluded. None of the chairpersons of the municipal committees have been included in the list.
On the retention side, standing committee chairman Devang Dani, councillor from the Bodakdev ward, has been repeated. Former standing committee chairman Hitesh Barot has also been retained by the BJP, indicating a selective approach to maintaining experienced figures.
Election Details and Voter Turnout
The local body elections in Gujarat are set to be a massive exercise, with 4.19 crore out of the state's 4.4 crore eligible voters expected to cast their ballots on April 26. Voters will elect representatives to 15 municipal corporations, including major cities like Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, and Rajkot, as well as 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats, and 260 taluka panchayats across the state.
Voting will be conducted from 7 am to 6 pm on April 26, ensuring a full day for citizens to participate. The counting of votes is scheduled for April 28, which will determine the outcomes for these crucial local governance bodies.
This strategic candidate list by the BJP highlights a focus on renewal and potential shifts in political representation, setting the stage for a closely watched election in Gujarat's urban centers.
