After 11 years, the election of Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association (FOSTTA) – a body of over 75,000 textile traders from Surat – was conducted at Vankar Textile market on Saturday under police protection. The election was contested between two panels – Congress-backed Ekta and BJP-backed Vikas. While the Ekta panel is led by former FOSTTA secretary and Congress leader Champalal Bothra, Vikas panel is led by BJP leaders Kailash Hakim and Sawarmal Budhiya. A large number of textile traders reached the Vankar Textile market in the morning and stood in queue to cast their vote around 11 am. The voting continued till 5 pm and the counting process started at 6 pm, which is likely to continue late in the night. As many as 634 voters are to cast their vote to choose a panel of 41 directors. These 41 directors would later elect a five-member team, including the president, secretary and treasurer of FOSTTA. Election officer Brijmohan Agrawal said, “Of the 634 registered voters, 577 voted on Saturday. Over 25 officials from Surat Surat Peoples Co-operative Bank are involved in the election-related activities. Not a single untoward incident has been reported.” Vikas panel chief Kailash Hakim added, “We are contesting the elections for the first time. After winning the polls, we have decided to bring a change in working style of the association and will take up issues faced by the textile traders. Our aim is to make the association strong and work for the betterment of the textile traders.” Ekta panel's Bothra, meanwhile, said, “Whoever forms the new body will have to deal with several issues faced by the textile traders. 41 members from Ekta panel were in the fray but most of them came under pressure and withdrew from the poll, leaving only 10 candidates. We hope that all our 10 members would win.”
