29-yr-old first-time corporator Rupsinh Thakor appointed Gandhinagar Mayor, BJP names new civic team

Gandhinagar, Nov 3 (IANS) The Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) on Tuesday appointed 29-year-old first-time corporator Rupsinh Thakor as its new Mayor, 20 days after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retained control of the civic body by winning 38 of the 44 seats in the municipal elections held on October 11. 

Anjana Mehta, elected from Ward No. 1, has been appointed Deputy Mayor, while Mahendra Patel (Das), elected from Ward No. 9, will head the Standing Committee.

Thakor was elected from Ward No. 4. The appointments were announced during the corporation's first general body meeting, which was convened to select the new office-bearers following the election results.

The Mayor's post for the corporation's first term was reserved for a male candidate from the Other Backward Classes (OBC). The BJP has also appointed Sejalben Parmar as the party whip (Dandak) and Jaspalsinh Bihola as the ruling party leader in the corporation.

The selection process was delayed after the BJP's official mandate naming its nominees did not reach the corporation in time for the scheduled proceedings.

Congress corporators raised objections before the Municipal Commissioner over the delay. The BJP's city in-charge, Nirav Amin, subsequently reached the corporation's headquarters at around 1:30 p.m. with the party mandate, following which the names were finalised.

The Congress has appointed Karamjitsinh Vaghela, elected from Ward No. 6, as the Leader of the Opposition. The opposition has five Congress corporators and one Independent member, taking its strength to six in the 44-member civic body.

The BJP won 38 seats, while the Aam Aadmi Party failed to win any. The BJP's seat tally was three fewer than its 2021 performance, when it had won 41 seats.

Congress improved its tally from two seats in the previous election to five this time.

Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi congratulated the newly appointed office-bearers in a post on social media platform X, wishing them a successful tenure.

"I sincerely hope that you will live up to the trust reposed in you by the people through your tireless efforts," he said.

Following the announcement, BJP leaders, elected representatives and party workers congratulated the new office-bearers at the corporation's headquarters.

Those present included Gandhinagar BJP president Dr Ashishkumar Dave, MLA Rita Patel and MLA Alpesh Thakor.

Thakor, who entered the corporation after contesting his first municipal election, has said that the development of Gandhinagar would be a priority during his tenure as Mayor.

--IANS

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