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Election |News Mayor’s victory dance


LIBERAL DemocratMayor ofMaid- stone David Naghi rounded off a successful yearwithathumpingwin in Eastward. He polled an unassailable 942


votes, leaving the Tory candidate Harpit Dogra secondwith 568. Cllr Naghi, who has marked his


year in office with enthusiasm and flamboyance, said: “It has been a great time and I feel honoured to have beenMayor ofMaidstone.” He makes way for the Conserva-


tive Cllr Marion Ring, who was due to take the chains of office as DownsMailwent to press. The member of Shepway North,


who has battled back fromrecent ill health, was elected with 635 votes, a 363margin over the nearest con- tender, RichardNeill of Labour. Cllr Ring, who thanked her family


and team of helpers during the campaign, said: “It’s been a tough time for me recently but I am a fighter.”


Dinesh takes onFran’s role


ANY nerves that the departure of former Liberal Democrat leader Fran Wilson from High Street ward might prove difficult were quickly assuaged with the elec- tion ofNepaliDineshKhadka. The 42-year-old father of two romped to vic- torywith a 492 majority. He polled


852 for the Lib Dems,with the Tories coming second with 360.


Thewardhas changedmarkedly


in the past four years with an in- crease in population, often tran- sient, an influx of Londoners, single-mother households and the politically disengaged. Turnout inHigh Street has never


been high and there were internal worries that the national political picturemight cause an upset.. The Conservatives saw this as a


marginal chance at best. CllrWilson hadbeen at the town


hall for 24 years, serving twice as leader and once in opposition. CllrKhadka, a food technologist


of Gleneagles Drive, said: “I am very pleased and proud to have been elected, but we have been


fighting for this seat since lastNo- vember. “We have been out and about


talking to the local people and I hope that I have listened to them. I will do my best for the people in theHighStreetwardinthe future.” There remain three Liberal De-


mocrats in the High Street ward, the others being Clive English and Denise Joy. The presence of a Ukip candi-


date prevented Leeds being a one- horse race. Ian Stevens,who lives in Caring


Lane,decidedto standwhen he re- alisedConservativeGill Fortmight have no opposition. Many local peoplewere angered


that therewas no choice on the bal- lot paper. One Back Street resident said:


“Whywas there no non-rightwing candidate? I didn’t vote for that reason.” Despite this,Mr Stevens did poll


190 votes,while Cllr Fort comfort- ably retained her seat with 420 votes on a turnout less than half that of 2015. Cllr Fort said: “Ian got the


protest vote, I guess. It seems very oddindeedthat the othermainpo- litical parties didn’t put anyone up.”


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DM2019 Maidstone June 2019 11


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