21-Year-Old Kirti Gosaiwal Creates History As Rajasthan’s Youngest Municipal Chairperson

Jaipur: Twenty-one-year-old Dalit councillor Kirti Gosaiwal has been elected unopposed as the chairperson of the Dhorimanna municipality in Rajasthan’s Balotra district, becoming the youngest municipal chairperson in the state.

Congress And Independents Do Not Field Candidate For Post

Gosaiwal, who was elected as a BJP councillor from Ward 20, was the only candidate to file a nomination for the chairperson’s post, which was reserved for a Scheduled Caste woman. Due to a lack of sufficient numbers, the Congress and independent councillors did not field a candidate. Sub-Divisional Officer Badrinarayan Bishnoi handed over Kirti the certificate of election.

Dhorimanna, located amid the dunes of western Rajasthan about 70 km from Barmer, was recently upgraded to a municipality. The civic body held its first municipal elections this year, with the BJP winning 14 of the 20 wards. Congress won three seats and independents won three.

BJP’s Young Face Takes Charge Of Newly Formed Urban Body

The BJP’s decision to field a 21-year-old for the top civic post is being taken as a bid to connect with the younger, Gen Z electorate. Gosaiwal’s election also marks the emergence of a young woman at the helm of the newly formed urban local body.

Born in 2005, Gosaiwal has completed her graduation and is preparing for postgraduate studies and was keen to pursue a career in the administrative services but later chose politics.

“I initially planned to pursue a career in the administrative services but entered politics looking at the changing political and social circumstances in the country and Rajasthan,” said Kirti.

She credited Minister of State K K Bishnoi for encouraging her to enter politics and said addressing problems of the people of his city would be her immediate priority as municipal chairperson.

Her father, Ghevar Singh, took voluntary retirement from the Rajasthan Police at the rank of inspector before the Assembly elections. He had sought a BJP ticket from Bilara but was denied and has since remained active in political and social activities.

Residents of Dhorimanna have welcomed the election of the young chairperson, expressing hope that her leadership will accelerate development and improve civic services in the newly constituted municipality.