Over 300 BJP functionaries ‘show interest’ in contesting 12 seats on Surat Municipal School Board

MORE THAN 300 BJP functionaries have expressed interest with the party headquarters to become members of the committee of the Municipal School Board, Surat (MSBS), that has just 12 seats. As per the instructions of the party leadership, elected corporators must cast their votes for the candidates.

The election will be held on October 9. The MSBS runs around 365 municipal schools in Surat imparting education to over two lakh students in Gujarati, Hindi, English, Urdu, Odia and Marathi mediums – from Classes 1 to 8. Over 5,800 teachers are employed at these schools.

In April, the election to 120 seats of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) were conducted and results declared. BJP candidates (the party had 93 councillors after the 2021 election) won 115 seats, while four seats went to AAP (which was down from 27 seats in the previous elections) and a single candidate from the Congress won the election (Congress scored a zero in the previous election).

Now, the authorities have begun the process of electing the MSBS management committee. Earlier, the BJP sought suggestions and inputs from its leaders and workers interested in becoming board members. The MSB, Surat, has 15 members, of which three are appointed by the state government, and elections will be held for the remaining 12.