Congress begins search for strong voice in new house

Ahmedabad: With the results of the 2026 Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) elections out, the spotlight has now shifted to the Congress camp, where the race to appoint the next Leader of Opposition has begun. After winning 32 seats in the 192-member civic body, the Congress has secured enough strength to stake claim to the post, making the selection politically significant ahead of the new AMC term.Four names are currently doing the rounds within party circles — Nirav Bakshi from Dariapur, Zulfi Khan Pathan from Gomtipur, Kamini Jha from Kubernagar, and Shehzad Khan Pathan from Danilimda. Party insiders say senior leaders are keen to avoid the delay seen after the 2021 polls, when Congress took nearly a year to finalise its opposition leader following internal consultations among senior corporators.Among the frontrunners, Bakshi is considered a strong contender. Re-elected for a second consecutive term from Dariapur, he comes from a political family, with his father having served as a senior corporator and former opposition leader in the AMC. His experience and continuity are being seen as advantages.Zulfi Khan Pathan has also emerged as a serious claimant after registering a commanding victory from Gomtipur in what was seen as a difficult electoral contest. Like Bakshi, he too comes from a family with a civic political legacy, with his father having served as a senior corporator.If the party leadership opts for community representation, the contest could take a different turn. Sources indicate that if Congress decides to appoint a Muslim face, Zulfi Khan and Shehzad Khan are likely to be considered. Shehzad Khan, a four-time elected corporator from Danilimda, brings administrative experience and familiarity with the civic body's functioning.On the other hand, if Congress chooses a Hindu leader, Bakshi and Kamini Jha are likely to be in focus. Jha, re-elected from Kubernagar, is being viewed as a potential consensus candidate.