Modasa: BJP today regained control of Bayad Municipality of Aravalli district in Gujarat when after a tie with rival NCP in the election for President and Vice President, its candidates for both the posts won the random lottery drawing (called chiththi in Gujarati).

Snehalbhai Jagdishbhai Patel of BJP was elected president during the draw while Sahinbano Dasumiyan Mallik of the party got the vice president post.

Aravalli district president of BJP Ranbirsinh Dabhi said that during the polls of 24 member local body in the North Gujarat town almost two years ago BJP had won 13 seats while NCP got remaining 11.

Varun Patel and Jyotikaben Patel of BJP were made president and vice president respectively. But after revolt by two BJP members including Jyotikaben, a no confidence was passed against them last year and they were replaced by dissident Arvind R Prajapati and Jyotikaben as president and vice president.

Dabhi said that BJP challenged their election on the basis of anti defection law and demanded scrapping their membership of the local body for defying the party whip which was accepted by the state election commission on December 19 last year. With this the number of seats in the kitty of BJP and NCP had become 11 for each.

A fresh election was held today in presence of the Prant Officer as the returning officer. Candidates of both the parties got 11 votes each bringing it to a tie. After this the returning officer as per the rule used random lottery draw system (called Chhiththi in Gujarati) to decide the winner. Both the BJP candidates emerged winners in it.

DeshGujarat