Race for city mayor heats up as BJP sweeps polls again

Ahmedabad: With the BJP registering a dominant victory in the 2026 Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) elections, attention has now shifted to finalize city's next mayor.The BJP won 160 of the 192 seats across 48 wards, securing its fifth consecutive mandate in the civic body. With the general board meeting expected within a week, the party is now set to decide who will occupy the mayor's chair for the next two-and-a-half years.This term, the mayoral post has been reserved for a male OBC corporator, narrowing the field but intensifying internal competition. Among the frontrunners are former standing committee chairman Hitesh Barot of Thaltej ward and Dharamshi Desai of Bodakdev ward, who headed AMTS from 2021 to 2026.Other names doing the rounds include Jashubhai Thakor of Shahibaug ward, former chairman of the health and solid waste management committee, and Rajesh Thakor of Vejalpur ward, who served as the party whip in the AMC.Barot is considered a strong contender, having served as chairman of the powerful standing committee between 2021 and 2023. Re-elected from Thaltej, he is seen as an influential leader within the party. Desai, too, is regarded as a key organisational figure. Both leaders represent wards falling within the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, adding a political dimension to the selection process.While the mayor's post carries prestige, the standing committee chairman is often regarded as the most powerful office in the AMC, controlling finances and major policy decisions. Here too, lobbying has intensified.Names being discussed for the post include Jainik Vakil of Paldi ward, a chartered accountant and three-term corporator who earlier chaired the revenue committee; and former standing committee chairman Devang Dani, who won a third consecutive term from Bodakdev. Ketan Patel of Gota, Paresh Patel of Vastral and Paresh Lakhani of Nikol are also in contention, said sources.Traditionally, the BJP balances civic appointments across different city zones. If the mayor is chosen from western Ahmedabad, the standing committee chief is often selected from the eastern side. However, party insiders indicate that both top posts could go to leaders from western Ahmedabad this time, with positions such as deputy mayor, party leader and whip possibly allotted to candidates from eastern wards.Apart from these posts, chairmanships of committees such as town planning — considered the second most influential civic panel after the standing committee — are also expected to trigger intense lobbying in the coming days.