Rupsinh Thakor, 29, named Gandhinagar Mayor as BJP forms new civic team
Synopsis
At just 29 and in his first term as corporator, Rupsinh Thakor is now Mayor of Gandhinagar — the BJP's choice from an OBC-reserved post after a landslide 38-of-44 victory. His appointment was briefly held up by a paperwork delay that gave Congress an early opening to raise objections, a small crack in an otherwise dominant show of BJP strength.
Key Takeaways
Rupsinh Thakor , age 29 , elected from Ward No.
4 , appointed Gandhinagar Mayor on 3 November 2026 — his first term as corporator.
The Mayor's post was reserved for a male OBC candidate for the corporation's first term.
Anjana Mehta (Ward No.
1) named Deputy Mayor ; Mahendra Patel (Das) (Ward No.
9) to head the Standing Committee .
BJP won 38 of 44 seats on 11 October , down from 41 seats in 2021 ; AAP won none.
Congress grew from 2 seats in 2021 to 5 seats ; its Karamjitsinh Vaghela named Leader of the Opposition .
A delay in BJP's mandate delivery prompted Congress objections before the Municipal Commissioner before proceedings resumed.
Rupsinh Thakor, a 29-year-old first-time corporator elected from Ward No. 4, was appointed Mayor of the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, becoming one of the youngest mayors in the corporation's history. The appointment came 20 days after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the Gandhinagar civic polls, winning 38 of 44 seats in elections held on 11 October.
New Civic Leadership Team
Anjana Mehta, elected from Ward No. 1, has been appointed Deputy Mayor, while Mahendra Patel (Das), elected from Ward No. 9, will chair the Standing Committee. The BJP has further appointed Sejalben Parmar as the party whip (Dandak) and Jaspalsinh Bihola as the ruling party leader in the corporation. These appointments were formalised during the GMC's first general body meeting, convened specifically to elect new office-bearers.
Reserved Post and Selection Process
The Mayor's post for the corporation's first term was reserved for a male candidate from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, a stipulation that shaped the selection. However, the process hit a procedural snag — the BJP's official mandate naming its nominees did not reach the corporation in time for the scheduled proceedings. Congress corporators promptly raised objections before the Municipal Commissioner over the delay. BJP city in-charge Nirav Amin subsequently arrived at the corporation's headquarters at around 1:30 pm with the requisite party mandate, after which the names were finalised.
Opposition Takes Shape
On the opposition bench, the Congress has appointed Karamjitsinh Vaghela, elected from Ward No. 6, as Leader of the Opposition. The opposition bloc comprises five Congress corporators and one Independent member, giving it a combined strength of six in the 44-member civic body. Notably, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) failed to win a single seat. The BJP's tally of 38 was down from 41 seats it had won in the 2021 elections, while Congress more than doubled its representation — from two seats in 2021 to five this time.
Reactions and What the Mayor Said
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi congratulated the newly appointed office-bearers in a post on social media platform X. 'I sincerely hope that you will live up to the trust reposed in you by the people through your tireless efforts,' he said. Celebrations followed at the corporation's headquarters, with Gandhinagar BJP president Dr Ashishkumar Dave, MLA Rita Patel, and MLA Alpesh Thakor among those present. Mayor Thakor, contesting his first municipal election before this win, stated that the development of Gandhinagar would be the foremost priority of his tenure.
Point of View
Minor as it was, points to coordination lapses within the BJP machinery that larger margins have historically papered over.
NationPress
3 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Rupsinh Thakor, the new Gandhinagar Mayor?
Rupsinh Thakor is a 29-year-old BJP corporator elected from Ward No. 4 in the October 2026 Gandhinagar municipal elections — his first municipal contest. He was appointed Mayor on 3 November 2026, with the post reserved for a male OBC candidate for the corporation's inaugural term.
How did BJP perform in the Gandhinagar municipal elections 2026?
The BJP won 38 of the 44 seats in elections held on 11 October 2026, retaining control of the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation. However, this was down from 41 seats it had captured in the 2021 elections, while Congress improved from 2 seats to 5.
Why was the Mayor appointment delayed?
The selection process was held up because the BJP's official mandate naming its nominees did not reach the corporation in time for the scheduled general body meeting. Congress corporators raised objections before the Municipal Commissioner, and the proceedings resumed after BJP city in-charge Nirav Amin arrived with the mandate at around 1:30 pm.
Who are the other key office-bearers appointed at Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation?
Anjana Mehta (Ward No. 1) was appointed Deputy Mayor, Mahendra Patel (Das) (Ward No. 9) will head the Standing Committee, Sejalben Parmar has been named party whip, and Jaspalsinh Bihola is the ruling party leader. On the opposition side, Karamjitsinh Vaghela (Ward No. 6) has been named Leader of the Opposition.
How did the Aam Aadmi Party fare in the Gandhinagar civic polls?
The Aam Aadmi Party failed to win a single seat in the 44-member Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation in the October 2026 elections. The opposition bench is composed of five Congress corporators and one Independent member.
