BJP down plays consensus

VADODARA, July 15: BJP observer Bhupendrasinh Solanki said on Wednesday that consensus would not be the sole criterion for selecting offi...

VADODARA, July 15: BJP observer Bhupendrasinh Solanki said on Wednesday that consensus would not be the sole criterion for selecting office-bearers in the Vadodara Municipal Corporation VMC, even as party councillors8217; opinions were sought on the names.

Solanki, who along with Amit Shah, MLA, listened to councillors, party city unit office-bearers and other leaders, told Express Newsline that consensus would not be the sole criterion to select Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Standing Committee chairman consensus is often managed8217;.

While election for the Standing Committee chairman will be held on Saturday, the polls for Mayor and Deputy Mayor will be held on Monday. This time in the VMC a woman would become Mayor.

Solanki, state party vice president, said affiliation to the party, administrative skill, constructive activities carried out by the councillors and years of service in the party would be considered. Consensus would be taken into consideration after this.

The observers will submit the report to the State party leadership following which the names of the candidates will be announced. Solanki said they would be merely submitting the report and it would be up to the party to select the candidates. Asked whether like in the past the mandate would be different than the consensus, he claimed many a time the councillors gave wrong impression about consensus.

To a question, he said the party would decide about replacing the woman Mayor after the introduction of the Mayor-in-Council MIC system. He did not rule out the possibility of women occupying two out of the three posts. The report is likely to be submitted by Saturday.

Party sources say the contenders for the Mayor8217;s post include: Bharati Vyas, Jigeesha Sheth, Alkaben Baxi, Dipika Thakkar and Virbala Soni. While Sheth is reported to have the backing of former Education Minister Nalin Bhatt, the Sangh Parivar is said to be backing Baxi and Thakkar. Vyas is believed to have direct contacts with Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel.

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The contenders for the Deputy Mayor8217;s post include Pradip Joshi, Rajendra Trivedi, Umakant Joshi and Maganbhai Desai, party leader. Incumbent Ram Manohar Tiwari is also trying to have another term. For the post of Standing Committee chairman, Bharat Shah, Ajit Patel, Dinesh Chokshi and incumbent N V Patel are in the race.

Sources said the observers asked for two names each for the posts of Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Standing Committee chairman and party leader in the VMC. The observers also asked how the administration could be improved. The councillors were also asked to elucidate on problems of their respective wards.