The BJP's resounding victory in the Gujarat local body elections showcases its continued dominance in the state's political landscape, securing a majority vote share across various local bodies.
Key Points
- BJP won 937 out of 1,044 seats in 15 municipal corporations, demonstrating a strong urban presence.
- In rural areas, the BJP secured 33 out of 34 district panchayats, highlighting its dominance in local governance.
- The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) made inroads, winning the Narmada district panchayat and several taluka panchayats.
- Congress secured a significant number of seats but lagged behind the BJP in overall vote share and seat count.
The BJP has secured 50 percent or more vote share across all categories in the just-concluded local body elections in Gujarat, data released on Wednesday by the State Election Commission (SEC) showed.
The SEC published the figures a day after the ruling party swept the elections to 9,986 seats across 15 municipal corporations, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats and 260 taluka panchayats, held on Sunday.
More than 4.18 crore voters were eligible to cast their ballots.
BJP's dominance in municipal corporations
In the municipal corporations, the BJP polled 1,19,01,017 or 59.36 percent of valid votes. Congress stood second with 26.46 percent (53,05,082 votes), while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) secured 10.27 percent (20,59,332 votes).
Out of total 1,044 seats across these 15 municipal corporations, BJP won 937, Congress won 95, while six seats went to the AAP. Independents and smaller parties won the remaining six seats.
In the elections to 84 municipalities, the BJP garnered 52.51 percent vote share (33,30,309 votes), followed by Congress at 30.68 percent (19,46,075 votes). Independents accounted for 9.33 percent votes, while AAP polled 4.89 percent of the votes.
Out of total 2,624 seats across the 84 municipalities, BJP won 1,988, Congress 459, AAP 18 while 14 seats went to AIMIM and remaining seats went to independents and other parties.
The BJP also led in rural local bodies as it won 33 out of 34 district panchayats.
District and taluka panchayat results
In district panchayats, it secured 52.23 percent of votes (89,71,028), while Congress polled 33.7 percent (57,87,715 votes).
AAP was in the third position with 21,29,930 votes, which translates to 12.4 percent vote share.
Out of 1,090 seats across 34 district panchayats, BJP won 892, Congress 136, AAP 58, while remaining four seats went to independents.
Similarly, in 260 taluka panchayats having 5,228 seats, the BJP bagged 51 per cent vote share, translating into 86,46,005 out of over 1.69 crore valid votes cast.
Congress secured 32.89 percent votes (55,76,285), while AAP received 12.67 percent votes (21,47,811).
Out of total 5,228 seats across taluka panchayats, BJP won 3,674 seats, Congress 1,050, AAP 407 while one seat went to AIMIM and remaining 96 seats went to independents and other parties.
Key victories and Opposition gains
The saffron party won all 15 municipal corporations where elections were held: Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar and Rajkot along with the newly created Navsari, Gandhidham, Morbi, Vapi, Anand, Nadiad, Mehsana, Porbandar and Surendranagar.
Of 34 district panchayats, the saffron party captured 33. It lost the Narmada district panchayat to AAP.
As per the ruling party's own figures, it won 76 out of 84 municipalities and 229 out of 260 taluka panchayats.
In a release, AAP said it won the Narmada district panchayat along with 12 taluka panchayats including four in Narmada district.
The local bodies won by the Congress include Vyara, Ankalav, Hadad, Palanpur, Sidhpur and Patan taluka panchayats along with Sikka and Jam Raval municipalities.
The BJP won 7,491 out of total 9,986 seats across local bodies, far more than its rivals.
Congress won 1,740 seats, Aam Aadmi Party 489 seats, AIMIM 15 while 251 seats were bagged by independents and other smaller parties.
