With the Junagadh Municipal Corporation’s (JMC) present term scheduled to expire on July 31, political parties and aspiring candidates have started burning midnight oil well before the official announcement of the elections to the civic body.

According to sources, notification regarding the elections will most likely be declared on June 22, while voting will take place on July 19.

The first elections to JMC, which accommodates 17 wards, were conducted in 2004, after the civic body was awarded a corporation status. The BJP managed a comfortable victory at the time, winning 35 out of the 51 seats. The Congress won 15 seats, while the remaining one seat went to an independent candidate.

In last five years, the political scenario in the region has vastly changed. During the last Lok Sabha elections, BJP was jolted when the party’s five councillors revolted and joined the Congress party.

Karsan Dhadook, Junagadh BJP unit president, said: “We have started receiving applications from candidates seeking party tickets for the polls.”

BJP will not give tickets to tainted candidates, he said, adding, “Allotment of the tickets will be done keeping in view the candidate’s clean image and loyalty to the party.”

Dhadook further said: “The party’s observers have already paid a visit here and discussed the issue with local leaders. Final decision regarding the allotment of party tickets will be taken by the BJP parliamentary board.”

Meanwhile, state Congress leaders convened a meeting at the party’s headquarter in Ahmadabad. Party sources said that three major groups within the Congress are lobbying hard for the tickets.

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