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<\/p>\nNews Analysis – Dilip Patel
\nBJP has made 29 year old Roop Singh Thakor, a 10th class graduate from OBC category, the mayor of Gandhinagar.<\/p>\n
Doing construction business. The politics behind this is Genji. The youth of Gujarat are angry with BJP, this is just a political ploy to woo them and take the Thakor votes of North Gujarat.<\/p>\n
Modi’s consent
\nInstead of making a mayor who can take Gandhinagar forward with good planning, instead of making an obedient mayor who is educated till 10th, BJP state president Jagdish Panchal and 90% of the GMC area falls in the area of Gandhinagar MP Amit Shah, they decided the name and took the approval of Varanasi MP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is not possible without their permission. Alpesh Thakor is MLA from Gandhinagar. The mayor is shown as his own man.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Thakor army
\nHe was in Thakor Sena of BJP MLA Alpesh Thakor. Alpesh Thakor has taken this decision to please Thakor voters. Alpesh Thakor has ruined Thokor Sena to do politics in BJP. Since then the voice of the Thakor community has been suppressed.
\nAlpesh Thakor founded the Gujarat Kshatriya-Thakor Army in 2011. This organization brought up the social issues of Thakor community, alcohol addiction and OBC rights issues. Joined Congress in 2017. Then in 2019 he joined BJP.
\nTo what extent were the problems of the society solved after the leadership joined the political party that arose for the social problems of Thakor society? By electing the mayor, BJP gives the message of representation to the Thakor community. But the changes in education, employment, social development and economic condition of the society during the tenure of the Mayor will have to be measured.<\/p>\n
Congress dominance
\nThis decision has been taken not on merit but on political grounds to counter the rise of Congress MP Ganiben Thakor. Congress has been a traditional political alliance in the Thakor community. Jeniben Thakor’s Lok Sabha victory has given Congress an identity in North Gujarat. Alpesh Thakor has left the party and joined BJP. Thakor’s father Khoda Thakor and family have been Congressmen.<\/p>\n
Opposite zen Z
\nJane’s movement was to stop paper leaks, remove unemployment, improve education and improve schools. Challenging this, the top leaders decided that BJP would adopt a policy against the Jain movement instead of its root causes. With this, less educated people will move forward. No school education improved. If there is no education then the educated will not remain useless.
\nThe issues in the movement include paper leaks and transparency in the recruitment process, quality of education, lack of government jobs, unemployment and employment opportunities, equal opportunities in education and employment, i.e. the appointment of the 29-year-old mayor gives a political message to the youth, but it does not prove that the core issues of the youth have been resolved.<\/p>\n
Selection and rotation
\nThe rule of determining OBC according to mayor rotation has been implemented in this way. Has been in BJP for 10 years. Eight members of Thakor community have won in Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation. New people have been made mayor in place of experienced people.
\nThere are 8 councilors who are general OBC. According to the discussions in the BJP organization, the name of Kanaiya Desai was at the forefront among other strong contenders for the post of Mayor. Also did excellent work as senior and general secretary of Gandhinagar city BJP.
\nSince Mahesh Chaudhary comes from the builder lobby, he has good influence in the party.
\nVishnuji Thakor, Jayantibhai Dabhi, Dharmendra Nai have an image as loyal and grassroots workers of the party. The name of a young councilor like Ankit Barot was first discussed under OBC quota. But he was not made mayor. In such a situation, many people did not like this decision of the central leadership of BJP and the Parliamentary Board.<\/p>\n
Family
\nThe mayor’s family is associated with BJP. Mayor’s father is Gunubhai. He is the father of two children. Wife Sonal is a housewife. Was elected for the first time and was made mayor. Gunubhai’s two sons, Dalpat and Roop Singh, living in Indroda village, are associated with their father’s sand business.
\nAfter passing 10th class, Roop Singh joined Reta business. There is business of sand, ballast and brick goods. Apart from Indroda, he also has his own house in Sector 26 of Gandhinagar.
\nJoined the party at the age of 18. He has been the ward president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the youth wing of BJP.<\/p>\n
A winning experiment
\nThe responsibility of making Swaroop win was handed over to Khadi, Cottage and Village Industries Minister of Gujarat Government, Swaroopji Thakor. In 2008, Kanaji Thakor was elected as the Mayor of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, but this did not give any significant gains to the BJP among the Thakor voters.<\/p>\n
Assembly count
\nThakor holds Mansa, Kalol and Dehgam along with two seats in Gandhinagar district, South and North. BJP has taken this decision in view of casteism. Which is the decision to win the 2027 Gujarat Assembly elections.
\nThere are 12 MLAs from Thakor community. Of these, 9 are from BJP.
\nSince Thakor voters are angry with BJP, Thakor conference is being organized in North Gujarat for some time. Because Thakor caste can win about 22 out of 182 seats in Gujarat Assembly. Thakor community voters dominate a total of 41 seats.
\nThakor voters dominate 22 assembly seats in North Gujarat. Thakor voters on 25 to 30 seats are trying to directly influence the outcome of the election.<\/p>\n
An educated city falls victim to political defections
\nGandhinagar is no ordinary city; it is the capital of Gujarat. It houses the Secretariat, the administrative system, the center of political power, and economic hubs like GIFT City.
\nWhen the BJP was in power and Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister, they were opposed to establishing a municipal corporation for Gandhinagar. Local residents fought a legal battle, and following a court ruling, the municipal corporation was formed. This was the fourth election since the creation of this local self-governing body; previous elections were held in 2011, 2016, and 2021. Mahendrasinh Rana, Pravin Patel, Rita Patel, Hitesh Makwana, and Meeraben Patel have previously served as mayors of the city.
\nIn 2011, the Congress party won the election, securing 18 out of 33 seats, while the BJP won 15. In October 2012, the Congress mayor, Mahendrasinh Rana, along with two other members, defected to the BJP. Consequently, the Congress lost its majority, allowing the BJP to take control of the urban local body, with Rana subsequently appointed as mayor by the BJP. The second general election took place in April 2016, in which both the Congress and the BJP won 16 seats each out of a total of 32. However, Congress councilor Pravin Patel defected to the BJP and was subsequently appointed as mayor.<\/p>\n
The third general election was held in April 2021. The BJP won the election, securing 41 out of the 44 total seats in the corporation.<\/p>\n
Essential requirements for a mayor:
\n1. An understanding of city planning and development.
\n2. Knowledge of urban transport and traffic planning.
\n3. Expertise in water, sewage, and waste management.
\n4. A grasp of budgeting and public finance.
\n5. A commitment to environmental protection and the preservation of urban green spaces. 6. The ability to listen to citizens’ grievances and coordinate with the administration.
\nThere is an important distinction to be made here:<\/p>\n
An academic degree and administrative competence are not the same thing. However, the mayor of a state capital must possess the ability to grasp policy, question officials, scrutinize budgets, and fulfill public responsibilities.
\nTherefore, the question is not whether the mayor has studied beyond the 10th grade; rather, it is about the level of preparation, understanding, and capacity for independent decision-making they demonstrate regarding the development of Gandhinagar.
\nEven if the BJP has, in the name of an experiment to restructure politics, effectively let down Gandhinagar, this situation reveals the kind of hands into which Gandhinagar\u2014a city of the educated and a center of power\u2014has now fallen.<\/p>\n
Silent on policy
\nMayor Gokhale has yet to articulate any of his own ideas or policy positions. He won from Ward No. 4 by a margin of 7,000 votes. Will simply placing young people in positions of power solve the problems faced by the youth? If issues such as recruitment, exam paper leaks, education, and unemployment persist, there may well be a gap between the appointment of “young faces” and the actual aspirations of the youth. What is the Mayor\u2019s own policy regarding employment and education for the youth of Gandhinagar? Does he have a public-facing plan for the city’s development over the next five years? Given that the BJP has provided representation to the Thakor community, what concrete steps will be taken to address the community’s needs in education and employment? Such questions arise in the wake of the BJP’s decision. Ultimately, the measure of success will be the results the Mayor delivers in areas such as urban development, transparency, financial discipline, and civic amenities. What criteria did the BJP prioritize when selecting the leadership for the capital of Gujarat?<\/p>\n
Other office-bearers
\nThe other office-bearers include Deputy Mayor Anjana Mehta, Khadi Committee Chairman Mahendra Patel, and BJP Municipal Leader Jashpal Bihola. Delay in Decision-Making
\nThe selection process began during the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) general meeting on November 3, 2026; however, decisions were reached with some delay. The Congress party raised this issue with the Commissioner. Ultimately, the BJP\u2019s city in-charge arrived at the Municipal Corporation office at 1:30 PM with the party mandate, following which several decisions were finalized.<\/p>\n
Losses
\nElections were held on October 10, 2026, for 44 seats across 11 wards, with 130 candidates in the fray. Out of 2.59 lakh eligible voters, 59.25% cast their ballots. Following the counting of votes on October 13, 2026, it was revealed that the BJP had lost 3 seats compared to 2021\u2014dropping from 41 seats to 38. In 2021, there were 2 Congress councilors; however, both had subsequently joined the BJP.
\nThe Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had one representative, Tushar Parikh, in the GMC, but he lost his seat. While the AAP held 1 seat in 2021, they secured 0 seats this time.
\nThe AAP had fielded candidates for 41 seats; however, the State Election Commission (SEC) rejected four of their nominations, and five other candidates withdrew their forms.
\nIndependent female candidate Deepika Vaghela won 1 seat in Ward No. 2, securing 4,909 votes.<\/p>\n
The BJP received 56.46% of the vote. In 2021, they had received 46.39% of the vote but managed to win more seats.
\nThe Congress party secured 36.93% of the vote, an increase from the 27.96% they received in 2021. The AAP received 21.72% of the vote in 2021, a figure that dropped to 4.37% in 2026. 43.50% of the electorate is not aligned with the BJP.
\nFormer CM Shankersinh Vaghela campaigned for the Congress in Ward No. 4, which further complicated matters. The BJP lost all four seats where Shankersinh campaigned.
\nInternal conflicts within the BJP regarding the distribution of tickets led to the loss of 6 seats. Some disgruntled party workers even sabotaged the BJP candidates in those 6 constituencies.
\nWinners
\nBJP
\nWard 3
\nAnkit Ashwin Barot, Umesh Rameshchandra Jha, Sonali Uren Patel, Mittal Hardik Khimsuriya
\nWard 4
\nRupsinh Ranaji Thakor (Swarup Thakor \u2013 Mayor), Jaspal Pravin Bihola, Mittal Gajendra Vaghela, Josena<\/p>\n
Melaji Thakor
\nWard 5
\nKanaiya Ganda Desai, Kinjal Dashrath Patel, Hema Manthan Bhatt, Dhvani Dhaval Shah
\nWard 6 (All Congress)
\nKarmjit Virendra Vaghela, Mehul Arvind Rathod, Meghna Raju Rabari, Hansa Lalit Ninama
\nWard 7
\nSonal Ghanshyam Vaghela, Shailesh Vitthal Patel, Kinjal Dineshji Thakor,
\nNagin Jagdish Nadia (Congress)
\nWard 8
\nAmita Kamlesh Upadhyay, Mehul Raman Patel, Manisha Mitesh Prajapati, Vishnu Ganda Thakor
\nWard 9
\nMahendra P. Patel alias Das, Sharda Kalaji Thakor, Vaidehi Bipin Raval, Jayanti Sada Dabhi
\nWard 10
\nGaurang Dashrath Patel, Tanvi Vishvesh Patel, Dharmendra Vishnu Nayi, Vilasba Rajendra Vaghela
\nWard 11
\nKamu Manek Thakor, Jashwant Amba Patel, Sejal Parmar, Gita Patel \/ 1 other winning candidate<\/p>\n
Voting by Ward
\n1: 71.22%
\n2: 69.70%
\n3: 59.26%
\n4: 74.78%
\n5: 48.43%
\n6: 61.98%
\n7: 66.37%
\n8: 51.88%
\n9: 51.54%
\n10: 50.80%
\n11: 57.69%<\/p>\n
Thakor MLAs
\nMLAs from the Thakor community in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly
\nBJP
\n1 – Alpesh Mohan Thakor \u2013 Gandhinagar South
\n2 – Laving Mulji Thakor \u2013 Radhanpur
\n3 – Laxman Punja Thakor \u2013 Kalol
\n4 – Dr. Sukha Soma Thakor \u2013 Becharaji
\n5 – Kesha Shiva Chauhan \u2013 Deodar
\n6 – Vishnu Kala Thakor \u2013 Chanasma (By-election\/switched parties and won)
\n7 – Ajmalji Thakor (Kheralu)
\n8 – Kirit Vaghela and others are also considered representatives of the Kshatriya-Thakor community.
\n9 – Dhaval Jhala \u2013 Bayad \u2013 Affiliated with the BJP.<\/p>\n
Congress Thakor MLAs
\n10 – Amrut Moti Thakor \u2013 Kankrej
\n11 – Dinesh Ata Thakor \u2013 Chanasma
\n12 – Gulab Pira Rajput (Thakor) \u2013 Tharad (representing the Thakor\/Kshatriya community)
\nGeniben Thakor was previously the MLA for the Vav constituency, but she resigned after being elected as an MP from Banaskantha in 2024.<\/p>\n
MLAs by Caste (2022)
\n1 Koli: 33, Thakor: 12 (Total: 45)
\n2 Patidar (Patel): 45
\n3 Kshatriya \/ Rajput: 14
\n4 Bhil (Tribal\/ST): 14
\n5 Brahmin: 11
\n6 Vankar (SC): 7
\n7 Ahir: 5
\n8 Dhodia (Tribal\/ST): 5
\n9 Vaniya \/ Jain: 4
\n10 Meghwal: 2
\n11 Anjana (Chaudhary Patel): 2
\n12 Sindhi \/ Lohana: 2
\n13 Mer: 2
\nScheduled Tribes (ST – Tribal): 27 seats
\nScheduled Castes (SC – Dalit): 13 seats<\/p>\n
(Translated from Gujarati, google)<\/p>\n
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