No woman Leader of Opposition likely this time too, Badruddin Shaikh favourite

The tenure of office-bearers in Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation will end on April 30, leading to speculations about the new team.

The new Leader of Opposition (LOP) at the civic body will be announced in two months, and senior Congress leader Badruddin Shaikh is eyeing the post, making it unlikely, once again, for the civic body to get a woman LOP.

A similar situation played out in 2015 as well, when people were expecting a woman LOP. However, Dinesh Sharma became the LOP at the time, instead of Jayshree Shah, who was also contending for the post. This time, senior Congress leader Badruddin Shaikh seems to have his heart set on the post. He was the Leader of Opposition from 2010 to 2015

Despite 50% reservation for women in local bodies, the Congress party has not given a top post to any woman after Anisa Mirza, who served as the Mayor of the civic body from 2003 to 2005. The BJP has been ruling the civic body since then.

Shaikh is believed to have organized a picnic for councillors to lure them into backing him for the top post. "Shaikh wants to take all the Congress councillors to Mt Abu and Ambaji at his own expense, where he can convince everyone to vote in his favour for the post," said a female councillor from congress party, who did not want to be named in the report. "Why, at the end of two years, all of a sudden this charitable idea came to his mind, after all?,"

Shaikh, who is on a vacation with his family, confirmed the picnic plan, and said he was looking for accommodation for the councillors.

FOR A POST

New LOP at the civic body will be announced in two months, and senior Congress leader Badruddin Shaikh is eyeing the post, making it unlikely, once again, for the civic body to get a woman LOP.