All BJP/Cong candidates file papers on last day, Rupani terms GMC polls ‘precursor’ to assembly election

Gandhinagar

All the official candidates of ruling BJP and main opposition Congress filed their papers for Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) polls on the last day for nominations today.

A total of 32 seats of the eight wards of the municipal body will go for polls on April 24 along with the by-polls in two vacant seats in two district panchayats and 15 in eight taluka panchayats slated to be held simultaneously.

Expressing hope of a comfortable victory, BJP state president Vijay Rupani today termed the Gandhinagar local body election a precursor of the next year’s assembly polls in Gujarat. He accepted that as there were 300 contenders for candidature for only 32 seats many had to face disappointment but they would work for win of the official candidates. ‘All were able but we had to select only 32,’ he said.

The party president also make the candidates take a pledge of proper service and fight against corruption before filing the papers.

The opposition Congress also issued its list of candidates on the last day today. Party spokesperson Manish Doshi said that all the official candidates filed their papers today.

The nomination process had begun on April 4 with the issue of notification while the scrutiny of the papers would be done on April 11. The last date for withdrawal of nominations would be April 12.

The polling would be held from 8am to 5 pm on April 24 while the counting of votes would take place on April 26.

Apart from the polling in BJP ruled Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation, by polls would be held on one seat each in Banaskantha and Kheda district Panchayats. Four seats in Banskantha Taluka Panchayat, 3 in Surendranagar Taluka, 2 each in Vadodrara and Rajkot and one each in Ahmedabad, Narmada, Patan and Mahesana Taluka will also go for by-polls the same day.

DeshGujarat