Bhavnagar’s high profile lady Mayor resigns on party’s order

Obeying state party President’s order, BJP ruled Bhavnagar Municipal Corporation’s Mayor Rina Shah resigned from her post on Monday. Shah has resigned a year before the scheduled civic election in the city. Shah also resigned from the post of Municipal Councilor and party’s primary membership. Shah was elected from Krishnanagar ward no.25.

Educated, dynamic, independent and progressive, Shah is known for her high profile personality. It is believed that opponents in party itself complained about her lavish life style and also about her recent foreign tour to Copenhagen conference where she had gone without permission of state leadership. Prior to Copenhagen, Shah also visited Australia in capacity of Mayor with permission of state leadership.

Shah was known as independent nature Mayor who would not ask party’s local organization leaders before taking decisions. Her growing stature in party’s local unit was not liked by everyone.

According to sources Shah was called by the state party President Purushottam Rupala on Sunday at 10:30 am. When shah reached state party headquarter in Ahmedabad at 2.00 pm and met Rupala, she was immediately asked to resign. Rupala reportedly said Shah that the party wanted to do something new this time, therefore she would have to resign. When Shah asked the reason, Rupala refused to discuss it.

Shah came back to Bhavnagar and sent her resignation to Municipal Commissioner on Monday at 1.00 pm. The whole incident has shocked the party workers and the people of Bhavnagar. Shah denies to say anything on this issue to the press.

Meanwhile, local Congress unit demanded to release a white paper on why Shah was told to resign. “It is shameful for Bhavnagar that a Mayor has been asked to step down by her party without any visible reason. The Mayor was educated and connected with national and international organizations. She has ben kicked out from her post thanks to infighting within the BJP. She was a Mayor who worked independently and without anybody’s pressure,” leader of opposition in Bhavnagar Municipal Corporation Shree Bharatbhai Budheliya said in his statement.

It should be mentioned here that during her one and half year term, Mayor Rinaben Shah was on tour for 76 times including two foreign tours. But the permission was not taken for as many as 27 tours. Such tours involve places like Goa, Udaipur, Delhi and Mumbai also.