Besides Choksi, the five other members the 12-member standing committee who retired on Thursday were ShankerLal Chavli, Bakul Patel, Madansinh Atodaria, Dr Raman Parmar and Dr Vaju Mawani.

The Bharatiya Janata Party leadership is expected to send observers to elicit councillors' views about probable candidates for the post of mayor and deputy mayor and finalise the names. The elected wing will then have to endorse the selection made by the observers.

According to insiders, among those being considered for the post of mayor are Natu Soma Patel, Ajit Desai and Bhikhabhai, all old hands, under whose leadership the party can expect to win the civic elections due in April-May 2000.

Since a Saurashtrian has been elected to the post of the deputy mayor three times in the last four years, efforts are on this year too to install a Saurashtrian for the post.

The party, claimed outgoing standing committee member Bakul Patel, is also considering a less-known councillor -- a representative of the builders' lobby -- for the post of mayor. But the party would be doomed if he was elected, as the first citizen had to be in touch with the public as well as have a good image, opined former mayor Ajit Desai.

``One of the reasons why I feel that the BJP will favour this particular candidate for the post is because the leadership wants only a yes man, who'll keep the builders' lobby happy,'' alleged Bakul Patel.

Probable candidates being considered for the post of standing committee chairman are former committee chairman Narendra Gandhi, Shankarlal Chavli and Anil Chauhan.But, according to a party insider, no final decision had yet been taken. ``We are still in the process of meeting and talking to finalise the names for the posts of mayor, deputy mayor and standing committee chairman,'' he said.

Meanwhile, with the aspirants keeping their fingers crossed, it would be the party leadership who would finally select the candidates, considering councillor's opinion and groups within the party.