BJP fields doctor, engineers, school teacher in tribal belt

SURAT: Trupti Vyas, an ayurvedic doctor practising for last 25 years in the small town of Madhi in Surat district, has jumped into fray to contest Madhi taluka panchayat election on November 29.
Vyas has got ticket from BJP. She wanted to contest polls to use her education for the betterment of the tribal population where she practices. BJP has also fielded two civil engineers and a former principal for the first time in district panchayat polls.
"Ours is a tribal area with low literacy level. Very few people understand or know of the government or other private schemes that can benefit them. My basic job will be to take all these schemes to the people so that they can avail the benefits of development schemes," said Vyas. "I feel the first step to serve people must start at the very basic level of taluka or district panchayat where you live," she added.
Madhi taluka panchayat seat has 5,500 voters and majority of them are tribals. On such a seat, giving a ticket to upper caste candidate could lead to problems for BJP politically. But Suresh Patel, surat district BJP president said, "We have given ticket to her because she is accepted by locals there. We feel there is no issue of caste here."
Like Vyas, the BJP has also given ticket to Lalita Patel, principal of VB Sarvajanik School of Karcheliya, to contest in district panchayat polls from Mahua-Vawada seat, primarily a tribal belt.
Out of 25,000-odd voters, over 20,000 are tribals. Patel said, "For me power is the medium to serve my native people. If I have power I will be able to serve them and bring them the benefits of government schemes."
BJP has also given tickets to a civil engineer, Tushar Patel, to contest district panchayat elections from Karcheliya-Mahua seat and fielded another civil engineer Dipak Vasava on Nani Naroli seat.
Polling for the panchayat polls will take place on November 29 for 40 seats of Surat district panchayat, 186 seats of taluka panchayat and for 3 nagarpalika namely Kadodara, Sachin and Bardoli in Surat district.