The observers, Bhupendrasinh Solanki and Amit Shah, MLAs from Lunawada and Ahmedabad, who met all the 55 councillors to know their choice for the three offices, told reporters that the councillors were not all agreed.

The observers, however, did not contradict reports that the names of Mayor Bharati Vyas, Deputy Mayor Dinesh Choksi, Standing Committee Chairman N.V. Patel, former Deputy Mayor Bhupendra Patel, former Mayor Ratilal Desai among others, were in the race.

They also admitted that there was more stress on area-wise representation from among councillors and added that some of them wanted a woman to be the mayor, though this year, the candidature is in the general category.

The event holds significance as this is the last year before civic election in 2000, and the BJP needed to further improve its image in the VMC. Besides BJP office-holders in VMC, State Labour & Employment Minister Bhupendra Lakhawala, BJP district in-charge Chunibhai Baraiya, and party's Central Gujarat spokesman Shabdsharan Brahmbhatt were also present on the occasion.

Refuting charges that corporators' opinion were irrelevant as it was always party high command who finalised the candidates, the observers held the fact was just the opposite. They admitted that the party suffered from bickerings in the past but insisted that there was no groupism now. They further said the party was confident of winning all 26 seats in the state, though the struggle in a couple of tribal areas would be little difficult. According to them, the merger of Rashtriya Janata Party into Congress would benefit BJP as the votes now would not be divided as was the case in the last poll.