Gandhinagar

With the ruling BJP’s dramatic regain of power in Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) today owing to the sudden switch-over of a Congress corporator, state president of the ruling party,Vijay Rupani outright rejected the opposition’s allegations of ‘horse-trading’.

Talking to media persons Mr. Rupani said, ‘ The allegations are baseless. Not even a single penny exchanged hands. There has been no deal, Pravinbhai (a former BJP man) is an old acquaintance to many of us in the BJP and he took the decision at his own.’

Meanwhile, Mr Pravin Patel ‘Quality’, said that he had re-joined BJP owing to its recent ‘historic’ decision to give 10% reservation to the economically backward sections of the non-reserved category and the groupism and in-fight in Congress

During the counting of April 24 GMC polls (counting for which took place on April 26), Both BJP and Congress has won an equal 16 seats each creating a tie in the 32 seat local body.

Today during the board meeting of the newly elected members of the corporation, Congress Councillor Pravin Patel switched over to BJP which made him its mayoral candidate. He was eventually declared elected. In the last polls in 2011, Congress had won majority in GMC but owing to switch over of loyalty by some of its members later, BJP gained control of it.

– DeshGujarat