Dela village is among those brought within limits of Mehsana Municipal Corporation; residents flag loss of farmland, increased taxes as major issues3 min readAhmedabadApr 26, 2026 09:59 PM ISTDela village is one of the villages brought within the limits of the newly formed MMC. (File Photo)AdvertisementEven as voting in the local body elections was held across the state on Sunday, around 1,600 residents of a village in Mehsana district boycotted the process as a mark of protest against the merger of the village into Mehsana Municipal Corporation (MMC).Story continues below this adhttps://images.indianexpress.com/2020/08/1x1.png The MMC is one of the nine newly formed municipal corporations in the state that are witnessing elections of the new urban bodies for the first time. Dela village is one of the villages brought within the limits of the newly formed MMC. The MMC was formed while upgrading Mehsana municipality to the status of MMC and including several surrounding villages within its limits.In January last year, the BJP government in the state formed nine new municipal corporations. The nine included Navsari, Vapi, Karamsad-Anand, Nadiad, Mehsana, Surendranagar, Morbi, Porbandar and Gandhidham. With that, the total number of municipal corporations in the state rose to 17.Story continues below this adKiran Chaudhary from Dela told The Indian Express on Sunday, “Our village was included within MMC without our consent. And so, all residents have voluntarily decided to boycott the election of MMC… we will not cast our vote.”Chaudhary was a member of the Dela Gram Panchayat before it was added to MMC. And his wife, Ramilaben, was the sarpanch of the village.Story continues below this adAccording to Kiran, there were a number of reasons why they did not want to be part of MMC – such as villagers losing agricultural land following implementation of the Town Planning Act and increased taxes.“We have also challenged the inclusion of the village into MMC before Gujarat High Court and the petition is pending,” Kiran said.Kiran said that the total population of Dela ‘village’ – which now falls under ward 4 of newly formed MMC is around 2,500 with a voting capacity of around 1,600.Story continues below this adThe MMC has a total of 13 wards with four seats of corporators in each ward.The polling booth set up at a primary school recorded zero votes polled on Sunday.Ramesh Chaudhary, another resident of Dela, said, “We have boycotted the election because our village has been included within MMC without our consent. Our village panchayat had passed a resolution to protest the proposal of merging it with MMC but it was done by the authorities despite this.”Story continues below this adMehsana Collector S K Prajapati confirmed that the residents of Dela village boycotted the elections. Prajapati added that the district administration had tried to pursue the villagers to take part in the polling but they did not agree.Parimal A Dabhi works with The Indian Express as Chief of Bureau, focusing on the state of Gujarat. Leveraging his seniority and access, Dabhi is recognized for his reporting on the complex interplay of law, politics, social justice, and governance within the region. Expertise & Authority Core Authority (Social Justice and Law): Dabhi is a key source for in-depth coverage of caste-based violence, discrimination, and the state's response to social movements, particularly those involving Patidar, Dalit and OBC communities. His reporting focuses on the societal and legal fallout of these issues: Caste and Discrimination: He has reported extensively on social boycotts and instances of violence against Dalits (such as the attack on a Dalit wedding party in Patan), the community's demands (like refusing to pick carcasses), and the political responses from leaders like Jignesh Mevani. Judicial and Legal Affairs: He tracks significant, high-stakes legal cases and judgments that set precedents in Gujarat, including the convictions under the stringent Gujarat Animal Preservation Act (cow slaughter), 2002 Gujarat riots and developments in cases involving former police officers facing charges of wrongful confinement and fake encounters. Political and Administrative Oversight: Dabhi provides essential coverage of the inner workings of the state government and the opposition, ensuring a high degree of Trustworthiness in political analysis: State Assembly Proceedings: He frequently reports directly from the Gujarat Assembly, covering Question Hour, discussion on various Bills, debates on budgetary demands for departments like Social Justice, and ministerial statements on issues like illegal mining, job quotas for locals, and satellite-based farm loss surveys. Electoral Politics: His work details key political developments, including election analysis (voter turnout records), party organizational changes (like the end of C R Patil’s tenure as BJP chief), and campaign dynamics. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Mehsana district