Archive · 11 Nov 2025
BJP Loses Control of Devgadh Baria Municipality Amidst Rebel Leader's Victory
Imagine a town council where a political party called BJP had the most members.
But some members from the BJP were unhappy and decided to team up with members who didn't belong to any party (independents) and some from another party (Congress).
Together, they had more votes than the original BJP members.
They voted for one of their own, a rebel BJP member named Neil Soni, to be the new leader of the town council, replacing the person the BJP had originally chosen.
Rebel BJP leader Neil Soni was elected president of Devgadh Baria Municipality.
Eight rebel BJP leaders, six independent members, and three Congress members voted for Soni.
Soni secured 16 votes, while the BJP-backed candidate Dharmesh Kalal received 8 votes.
The vote followed a no-confidence motion passed against the sitting president, Dharmesh Kalal, on October 17.
The BJP lost its hold on the municipality due to a rebellion by its own members.
- Who
- Eight rebel BJP leaders, six independent members, and three Congress members voted for rebel BJP leader Neil Soni.
- What
- Neil Soni was elected president of the Devgadh Baria Municipality, ousting the BJP-backed incumbent.
- When
- The vote for the new president took place on Monday, three weeks after a no-confidence motion was passed.
- Where
- Devgadh Baria Municipality
- Why
- A rebellion within the BJP and the formation of a coalition with independent and Congress members led to the ousting of the BJP-backed president.
- Municipality
- Devgadh Baria Municipality
- Rebel Leader
- Neil Soni
- Previous President
- Dharmesh Kalal (BJP)
- No Confidence Vote Date
- October 17
- New President Vote Date
- Monday