Vapi Municipal Corporation polls: BJP-Congress candidates for 52 seats in 13 wards discussed

The Congress has announced 1 candidate for the Vapi Municipal Corporation (VMC) general elections. A meeting of the BJP's state parliamentary board was held in Gandhinagar today. The final list of candidates has been finalized after discussing the candidates of the Vapi Municipal Corporation. Which will be announced by the district BJP president in the coming days. The political atmosphere in the city has heated up after the State Election Commission announced the final delimitation and seat count for the upcoming general elections to the Vapi Municipal Corporation. Out of the 13 wards and a total of 52 seats, 26 seats are reserved for women. Electoral Profile and Demographic Mathematics According to the Election Commission, the total population of the Vapi Municipal Corporation is 2,48,122. As many as 13 wards with an average population of 19,000 have been created in which the delimitation process has been completed with variation of up to 10% on the basis of population. A total of 52 members will be formed in each ward with 4 seats. Mathematics of reserved seats: emphasis on social balance This time special attention has been given to social balance in the reservation system. Out of the total 52 seats, 1 seat is reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC), 9 for Scheduled Tribes (ST) (5 for women), 14 for Backward Classes (OBC/SEBC) (7 for women) and 28 for General category. With 50 per cent reservation for women in each of these categories, women's participation in elections will increase. Ward number 10 will become a 'hotspot' In the new delimitation process, the seat of ward number 10 is reserved for the Scheduled Castes (SC). The change in reserved seats will make it challenging for some leaders who have been in power for years to save their seats. The political equation changed by ward The form of reservation in many wards has changed due to the new delimitation process. Reservation for STs and OBCs in some wards has posed a challenge to the old veteran leaders. The area is likely to become a political hotspot as a seat is reserved for SC in Ward No. 10. At the same time, with the increase in seats reserved for general and women in many wards, the chances of new candidates getting a chance have increased. Race to find candidates in parties With the announcement of the election dates on April 26, political parties, including the BJP, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, have intensified their efforts to find strong candidates. The parties have been holding internal meetings and surveys to find new faces especially in areas where reservation has changed. There is also a lot of enthusiasm among the workers at the local level. Many young leaders and social activists have already started preparations to enter the election fray this time. Code of Conduct applied, system in place Following the Election Commission's order, the implementation of the code of conduct has started strictly in Vapi. Notice boards and public places in the city have been instructed to display delimitation and reservation information. Preparations have also been made by the administration to make the elections transparent and fair. A big change in the political landscape is possible. Due to the new delimitation and reservation, the political equation of many veterans may be spoiled in the Vapi Municipal Corporation elections this time. While it will be difficult for some incumbent corporators to save their seats, this could prove to be a great opportunity for new faces to start their political careers. Thus, this arithmetic of 13 wards and 52 seats is sure to bring about a big change in the politics of Vapi. All eyes are now on the April 26 polls, where the verdict of the voters will decide the path of Vapi's next administration.