Challenge for BJP to save the stronghold of Ward 12 of Navsari Municipal Corporation: Election mercury skyrockets in the scorching heat of April, 'VIP' ward development, facilities and dilemmas will decide the fate of the candidate

The political heat has intensified in the wake of the upcoming Navsari Municipal Corporation elections. With the scorching heat of April, the mercury of the election has also reached the sky. It is becoming a big challenge for the party to save the age-old stronghold of the BJP in ward number 12 of Navsari. This is considered to be a high-profile ward, where all eyes are on the mood of the educated voters. At that time, Divya Bhaskar's team reached Ward 12, which is considered a 'VIP' ward, to know the mood of the situation, including the development, problems and facilities. Political Stronghold and Leadership Centre Ward No. 12 has historically been the epicentre of Navsari politics. In the past, during the rule of the municipality, 3 presidents have been met from this same ward. Former Navsari MLA Piyush Desai is also a voter from the same ward. Voter Mathematics and Caste Equation The ward is dominated by upper middle class and well-educated voters. The geographical size of the ward and the number of voters have increased after the merger of Chhapra and Dantej village. There are Sindhis, Bharwads, Kolis, Patidars and Adivasi voters. Development and business class Located in the heart of the city, work is currently underway to widen the roof and Italwa road. This ward is home to a large number of Sindhi traders who are associated with APMC, construction and wholesale trade in vegetables. 'Blind Development' and Lack of Coordination According to local voter Vinod Rathod, there is a lack of planned work even though it has been a year and a half since the formation of the municipal corporation. Once the road is constructed, it is dug again for a water or sewer line. The traffic problem has been compounded by the fact that the road work is being done without the removal of electric poles. People are being harassed due to lack of 'coordination' between departments. Age-old problem of rainwater drainage Nutan Society and the surrounding low-lying areas have been facing the problem of rainwater logging for the last 10 years. Local resident Hemlataben Chunawala says water reaches the ground floor during the monsoon. The system only increases the height of the road but does not come up with a permanent solution to drain the water. Questions against the digital system Gaurav Rathod, a local youth, has lashed out at the Navsari Municipal Corporation (NMC) app. According to him, despite complaints like open drainage lids, the complaint is shown 'solved' in the app without working on the spot. There is also a risk of accidents due to pipes piled up on the road. Party of Political Parties BJP's ticket candidate Premchand Lalwani defended the development works and said that the work of four-lane roads from Chhapra Road to Italwa, internal roads in villages and beautification of lakes is going on in full swing. Voters want results, not promises The voters of ward number 12 now want results, not just promises. Being an educated class, traffic management, drainage and planned development will be the main issues here. For the BJP, stopping the gap in its fortress will prove to be the biggest test in the next election.