UDAIPUR,  Newly elected Udaipur Deputy Mayor Dinesh Bhatt assumed office on Thursday at 12:15 p.m. during the auspicious Abhijit Muhurat.

Before taking charge, Bhatt performed a puja at the deputy mayor's office along with his family members. The rituals were conducted by priests Alkesh Pandya and Dr. Bhagwati Shankar Vyas.

Bhatt was formally seated in the deputy mayor's chair in the presence of Rajya Sabha member Dr. Satish Poonia, Mayor Paras Singhvi, MLA Tarachand Jain, BJP district president Gajpal Singh Rathore and other party leaders. The leaders honoured Bhatt with a traditional turban, stole and garland.

A large number of social, political and religious representatives and party workers also attended the ceremony and felicitated Bhatt.

Singhvi and Bhatt will work together for city's development, says Poonia

Poonia thanked the people of Udaipur for electing the BJP board in the local body for the seventh consecutive time, according to party representatives.

He said Mayor Paras Singhvi and Deputy Mayor Dinesh Bhatt would work together on the city's development and civic administration.

Referring to the BJP's "triple-engine government" concept, Poonia said the mayor and deputy mayor would work to advance development and improve civic facilities in Udaipur.

Responding to a question about Bhatt's appointment, Poonia said the party takes decisions based on circumstances and after assessing the situation while taking everyone along.

He described Bhatt as an experienced party leader with direct contact with grassroots workers and said the responsibility reflected the party's recognition of his services.

"Politics has no small or big worker, but both Singhvi and Bhatt can certainly make Udaipur bigger through their work," Poonia said.

Poonia on new responsibility in Jammu and Kashmir

On his appointment as the BJP's in-charge for Jammu and Kashmir, Poonia said the region presented a political challenge and that he considered the party's decision a responsibility and a sign of trust.

He said he would seek to discharge the responsibility with hard work, honesty and a focus on results, while working in accordance with the direction of the party's senior leadership.

Poonia criticises Gehlot over local bodies remarks

Poonia also criticised former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot over his recent comments on local bodies.

He alleged that Congress leaders were disappointed because the BJP had secured control of a majority of local bodies. He also referred to the Congress government's tenure from 2018 to 2023, alleging issues related to paper leaks, corruption and law and order.

Poonia further referred to the political crisis involving the then deputy chief minister and state Congress president during the Gehlot government and criticised the former chief minister's handling of the episode.

The remarks came in response to Gehlot's comments concerning local bodies.

Party leaders attend ceremony

The ceremony was attended by former mayor Ravindra Shrimali, Yudhishthir Kumawat, district co-in-charge Mahesh Sharma, election coordinator Rajni Dangi, former chairman Chandrasinh Kothari, Lokesh Dwivedi, Mahendra Singh Shekhawat, Mangilal Joshi, Dr. B.L. Chaudhary, Dr. Himanshu Bhatt, Gurpreet Soni, Archana Sharma, Akash Bagrecha, Sanjay Bhandari, Mandakini Dhabai and Anil Agrawal, among others.

Newly elected councillors, former councillors, party office-bearers and workers also attended the programme and felicitated Bhatt.

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