BHOPAL: Many have begun to assert their claim to the post of Mayor of the state capital after the process for reservation was recently over. Former chief minister Digvijaya Singh has started mustering support in the party for former Mayor of Bhopal, Vibha Patel.
Patel who had been Mayor during the tenure of Singh as chief minister is also trying to get the support of other leaders of the party. She has begun to meet the party leaders and put her claim before them.
In 1998 when Vibha Patel had won the election in Bhopal, the post of Mayor was reserved for a woman from the Other Backward Classes.
She defeated the BJP candidate Rajo Malviya who has again sought ticket from the party.
The Patel family is close to Singh. A former minister Raj Kumar Patel is also close to Singh. Besides a former corporator Santosh Kansana is in queue for ticket. But she does not have the backing of any powerful leader.
The BJP is, however, yet to decide anything about the candidate for the post of Mayor.
BJP legislator Krishna Gaur has sought ticket, but she is unlikely to get it.
Many women corporators from the BJP are also seeking ticket for the coveted post. There is, however, no discussion in the party over it.
Tulsa Verma and Seema Yadav are among the former corporators who have sought tickets. Besides them, former chairperson of Mandi Shyama Patidar is in the queue for ticket.
As the BJP is planning to encourage youths, president of state party unit VD Sharma may bring a new face for the city’s job.
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