BJP’s Daksha Patel is first mayor of Vapi

Surat: In a key step after last month’s civic polls, the newly formed Vapi Municipal Corporation announced its first set of office-bearers, with the BJP installing Daksha Patel as mayor and taking charge of all top posts amid a clear majority in the 52-member house.

Daksha Patel has been appointed mayor, Mitesh Desai deputy mayor, and Satish Patel will be chairman of the standing committee, marking the formal constitution of the civic body’s leadership. Dharmesh Patel will serve as leader of the ruling party, while Sunita Tiwari has been named chief whip.

On the opposition side, Congress councillor Pir Mohommad Makrani has been appointed leader of opposition.

The VMC has 52 seats, of which the BJP won 37 in the elections. Congress secured 11 seats, while four independents were elected.

With a comfortable majority, the BJP has taken control of key administrative and political positions, setting the stage for governance in the corporation’s first term.

Satish Patel, an industrialist, currently heads the Vapi Industries Association and earlier served as Vapi BJP president. Deputy mayor Desai has also served as Vapi BJP president and earlier held the post of working committee chairman in the Vapi municipality.