Maya Mavani named mayor as BJP closes Surat talks

Surat: Amid prolonged consultations and last-minute deliberations, the BJP on Thursday unveiled the new leadership of the Surat Municipal Corporation, ending a three-hour wait for councillors and sealing Maya Mavani’s elevation as mayor.

Councillors of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) had gathered nearly a month after the civic elections for the announcement of office-bearers, but the process was delayed as internal discussions within the party leadership continued for hours. Initially assembled in a meeting hall in the presence of city BJP president Paresh Patel, councillors were later shifted to the general board hall after nearly an hour of waiting.

As per directives from the state BJP leadership, Maya Mavani was declared mayor of Surat, Sudhakar Chaudhary deputy mayor, Rajan Patel chairman of the standing committee, Alpa Mehta leader of the ruling party, and Urmila Tripathi whip. The newly appointed leaders were later felicitated by councillors before formally assuming charge in the general board meeting.

Of the five key posts, three have gone to women, underlining the party’s emphasis on greater representation in civic leadership.

While there was speculation within political circles over possible changes in the lineup, the BJP continued its established pattern of appointing a Saurashtra-origin Patidar leader as mayor. The outgoing mayor, Daxesh Mavani, also belonged to the same community.

Maya Mavani, 47, a councillor from Ward 14 (Umarwada-Matawadi), hails from a Patidar family originally from Bhavnagar. She has studied up to Class 12 and has been associated with several social welfare initiatives, apart from holding organisational responsibilities within the BJP at ward and city levels.

Sudhakar Chaudhary, 50, the new deputy mayor, has studied up to Class 9 and has been active in local social work, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. He has also served as president of the Mali Samaj for the past 18 years.

Rajan Patel, 52, has been retained as chairman of the standing committee. A BSc graduate from Ward 9 (Rander-Jahangirabad-Palanpur), he has already served in the post for the past two-and-a-half years.

Alpa Mehta, 46, appointed leader of the ruling party, has been active in social work and relief operations during the Covid period, while Urmila Tripathi, 58, the new whip, is a homemaker-turned-social worker originally from Uttar Pradesh and has held various organisational roles in the BJP at ward and city levels.