The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has suffered a jolt in the Borsad municipality in Anand district after sitting BJP president Aarti Patel lost a no-confidence motion against her on Wednesday. As many as 25 members voted against Patel in the 36-member municipality with 19 BJP members.
On August 2 this year, 16 members of the opposition of the Borsad Municipality had moved a no-confidence motion against Patel claiming that her “style of working has left councillors distressed” and that Patel has “neglected development works” in the civic body ever since the board was formed.
The 16 members of the opposition that moved the no-confidence motion included five members of the Congress, 10 independent councillors and one member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
On Wednesday, of the 25 members that voted against Patel, only six were from the opposition while five independents were absent from the voting process.
The municipality board, presided by the prant officer, had met to discuss the no-confidence motion. BJP leader in the municipality, Kanti Chavda, had issued a whip to the members of the party to vote in favour of Patel.
However, sources from the BJP said that they suspected that several of their party members voted against Patel. The result of the no-confidence motion has left the BJP embarrassed with senior leaders refusing to comment.
Borsad BJP cipy President Dilip Patel has written to the district BJP president seeking suspension of the councilors who disobeyed the party whip and voted against Patel.
The application for the no-confidence motion stated, “As per the Provisions of the Municipal Act, we are moving a no-confidence motion against president Aarti Patel as most councillors have been distressed with her style of working. She has also neglected development works in the town and does not take any elected members of the municipality into confidence over any issue.”
In 2021, the BJP won 20 out of 36 seats to wrest control of the municipal body from the Congress. Its tally reduced to 19 after one member was suspended. A no-confidence motion is also slated to be held next week against municipality vice-president Ranjitsinh Parmar.