Gujarat CM, State BJP chief to lead local poll campaign in 15 civic bodies

Gandhinagar, April 11 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will launch a synchronised election campaign across 15 municipal corporations in Gujarat on Sunday, with candidates collectively taking a pledge of public service under the 'Janseva Sankalp' programme, marking the formal start of its campaign for upcoming local body elections.

According to BJP leaders on Saturday, the programme will begin at 9.30 a.m. on Sunday across all 15 municipal corporations simultaneously.

The party said the initiative has been planned after the completion of nomination filing by its candidates on Saturday and is being carried out as per the instructions from the State BJP President Jagdish Vishwakarma.

The BJP candidates will collectively take a pledge of public service as part of the campaign launch process.

The party added that senior BJP leaders will be deployed across all municipal corporations in line with the organisational plan.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel will participate in the programme in Ahmedabad, while state BJP President Vishwakarma will be present in Rajkot.

Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and State BJP General Secretary (Organisation) Ratnakar Pandey will attend the programme in Vadodara.

Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil will be present in Surat, while BJP MP Parshottam Rupala will be in Jamnagar.

Former State BJP President R.C. Faldu will participate in Bhavnagar.

In Vapi, State BJP Scheduled Tribe Morcha President Ganpat Vasava will represent the party, while State Minister Kanu Desai will attend in Navsari.

Former Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama is scheduled to be present in Mehsana.

State BJP General Secretary Aniruddh Dave will attend in Gandhidham, while former Minister Gordhanbhai Zadafia will be present in Anand.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel will attend a programme in Nadiad.

Former BJP MP Ramesh Dhaduk will participate in Porbandar, former Minister I.K. Jadeja will be present in Morbi, and State Minister Jitu Vaghani will attend in Surendranagar.

As per schedule announced by the State Election Commission for the local body elections, voting for the municipal corporations and other local bodies is scheduled to be held on April 26, with polling conducted in a single phase across the state.

The elections will cover 15 municipal corporations, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats and 260 taluka panchayats, involving lakhs of voters.

The vote counting will take place on April 28, two days after polling, and results will be declared on the same day, completing the electoral process within a short post-poll window.

--IANS

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