Assam: Mrigen Sarania retains mayor post, Smita Roy to be his deputy

GUWAHATI: Former Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) mayor Mrigen Sarania has got another term to hold the prestigious post as BJP's state president Bhabesh Kalita on Tuesday announced his name as the 16th mayor of the civic body after "considering all the aspects, particularly the experience, of the newly elected councillors".
Sarania has become the second person to hold the post of mayor for the second time after Congress's Abir Patra, who held the post in 1998 and 2013. Though Patra became the mayor in 2013, he lost the post as BJP took over the GMC councillors' body in 2016 after Congress lost its majority following the resignation of one of its councillors. The saffron party replaced Patra with Sarania.
It is pertinent to mention that six women mayors had headed the civic body earlier since the formation of the corporation in 1971. Hemo Pabha Saikia, wife of former state chief minister and Congress leader Hiteswar Saikia, was the fourth GMC mayor and first woman mayor. BJP MP from Guwahati parliamentary constituency, Queen Ojha, had also held the post.
Meanwhile, Smita Roy, who won the civic body polls uncontested from ward 22, has been appointed deputy mayor. She is the third woman to hold the post after Nilakshi Talukdar and Bijuli Kalita Medhi.
The civic body has 50% women councillors for the first time. After losing one ward reserved for women to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and one open seat to Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), the NDA has now 29 female (BJ and AGP 3) and 29 male councillors (BJ and AGP 3).
After the announcement, Sarania thanked chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the party's state leadership for keeping trust in him to discharge the responsibilities. Talking about the role ahead, he said he would work to solve the prime issues, including round-the-clock household tap water, waterlogging and road connectivity.
"The BJP-led government has relentlessly worked for the development of the city since it came to power in 2016. As we promised, we are committed to fulfil the promises made in the party's election manifesto. The state government has already taken a serious note of the prime issues," he added.
Meanwhile, one of the old BJP faces, Sasanka Jyoti Deka, who won the polls from ward 38, tendered his resignation from the party as he was disappointed for not getting the mayor's post. He said different political parties have already made contact with him and he would announce his decision soon.