Jaipur-based jeweller Sunil Kothari has been named the Bharatiya Janata Party’s candidate for the post of mayor of Jaipur Municipal Corporation. Kothari, who recently won from Ward 112, is a prominent member of Jaipur’s gems and jewellery trade.

Kothari is associated with Kothari Gems & Jewellery and has previously held organisational positions within the BJP, including Jaipur city president, state secretary and state vice-president. He is currently a member of the party’s state executive committee.

In the recent Jaipur municipal election, Kothari won Ward 112 by 905 votes over Congress candidate Ashish Sharma. The Jaipur Municipal Corporation has 150 wards, with the BJP winning 78 seats, according to reports following the election.

The mayoral election is scheduled for September 25. The election programme provides for voting and counting between 10 am and 2 pm during a special meeting of elected councillors, with the result to be declared the same day if the contest proceeds to a vote.

For the jewellery industry, Kothari’s proposed move into civic leadership marks a notable development for Jaipur’s established gems and jewellery business community. His business interests include jewellery operations in Jaipur and other markets, according to his election affidavit and media reports.