SURAT - The Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association (FOSTA) elections launched today at Vankar Sangh Market on Ring Road after a 12-year hiatus. Polling, which started at 11 am, will continue across 15 booths until 5 pm, with the count commencing an hour later. The 41 triumphant candidates will subsequently elect the FOSTA President.
FOSTA, an influential organisation for traders within Surat's textile industry, is staging these critical elections with a roster initially consisting of 84 candidates. The electoral contest was set to be between the Vikas Panel and the Ekta Panel, with the former seemingly holding the upper hand under the leadership of textile magnate, Kailash Hakim.
However, a dramatic twist saw 29 candidates from the Ekta Panel collectively withdraw their nominations, causing a significant pre-election setback. Four more candidates dropped out following the nomination withdrawal deadline, effectively leaving 51 contenders in the race: 41 from the Vikas Panel and 10 from the Ekta Panel.
FOSTA's election committee has set strict rules for the 636 electors. Each elector must cast exactly 41 votes; any variance will result in the ballot's cancellation, thus requiring extreme caution from voters. To cater to the necessity of voting for 41 candidates, 15 polling booths have been set up.
As voting continues until 5 pm at Ring Road Vankar Sangh Market, anticipation builds for the counting process, which will begin at 6 pm. The Surat textile community is keenly awaiting the results of this highly anticipated election.
