The first elections for Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation are being held on this day.
April 19, 2011 will be an important date in the history of civic polls of Gandhinagar. As the first elections for Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation are being held on this day.
Though Gandhinagar became the state capital 40 years ago, it was only recently that the city was accorded the status of municipal corporation.
There are 116 candidates in fray for 33 seats of 11 wards. Nearly 1.36 lakh voters will cast their votes in around 1,800 booths.
Like almost every election process, it is popularly perceived that the BJP will be the winner. But here is the shocker. If the mood of local bookies is any indication, they are in fact backing the Congress to win a majority of seats.
The Congress, according to bookies, is likely to get 18 seats, while the BJP will have to remain content with 12 and others may win three seats. The Congress on its part is indeed very confident.
Leader of Opposition Shaktisinh Gohil said on Monday that if the elections conducted are free and fair, the Congress will definitely form board of the civic body.
Sources also pointed out that the Congress won the zilla panchayat elections in the district and even in Lok Sabha elections in 2009, the Congress candidate was ahead BJP’s star candidate LK Advani in 9 of the 11 wards.
The campaigning was low-profile for both the parties. Sources said that it was difficult to pull crowds in public rallies. Candidates of both the parties used DJs to get the attention of the voters but in vain, said sources.
In an experiment of sorts, around 670 voters have registered to cast their votes online. As about 50% of voters are government employees, the result is expected to be indicative of many trends in the Sachivalaya.
During the concluding days of campaigning, it was noticed that candidates had started reaching out to voters on their individual goodwill rather than the party banner. This, observers claim, will make it difficult for one party to win the entire panel in the wards.
Surprisingly, it was the BJP which noticed a dearth of workers. BJP MLA from Radhanpur, Shankar Chaudhary, said as municipal elections are being held in Gandhinagar for the first time, dearth of local workers is natural but still the BJP will be able to bring voters to the booth.
“We will try our best for higher voting percentage,” said Chaudhary.
The BJP is banking on the upper castes to vote for it, while the Congress panels pin hopes on all castes. Brahmin, Patel and Rajput voters could be the deciding factor in the elections.
Sources also said that the BJP has given ticket to at least 10 candidates who have recently switched their loyalty to join the saffron party.
Both the parties face a tough task in at least five wards where they are facing serious challenge from dissidents.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}