The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is all set to retain its power in all six municipal corporations of Gujarat, winning a whopping 485 seats out of the total 576 seats of the civic bodies in Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Vadodara, Bhavnagar and Jamnagar.
The opposition Congress was reduced to 45 seats. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the debutant in the local body elections in Gujarat, secured 27 seats, while the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) led by Assaduddin Owaisi managed to win two wards in Ahmedabad. Similarly, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) won three seats in the Jamnagar Municipal Corporation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the results “very special” and said that for a party serving a state for over two decades to record such a phenomenal win is noteworthy. He said the results of municipal elections clearly show the unwavering faith people have in politics of development and good governance.
“Thank you Gujarat! Results of municipal elections across the state clearly show the unwavering faith people have towards politics of development and good governance,” Modi said in a series of tweets. “Today’s win across Gujarat is very
special. For a party that is serving in a state for over two decades to record such a phenomenal win is noteworthy. It is heartening to see widespread support from all sections of society, particularly the youth of Gujarat towards BJP,” he added.
Hailing the BJP’s performance, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the party won around 85 per cent of the seats it contested and that it continues on its “development journey” under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “The Municipal corporation poll results have again established Gujarat as BJP’s stronghold. The BJP continues on ‘Vikas yatra’ under the leadership of Modiji. Today’s results are one of the best results in Gujarat,” the Home Minister told ANI.
The BJP won on 159 out of 192 seats in Ahmedabad, far more than the previous 143. The Congress won 24 seats while the AIMIM got 7 seats and there were two independent candidates who got elected. In Vadodara, the BJP captured 66 seats out of the total 76 seats of the VMC, the rest going to the opposition Congress.
In Rajkot, the hometown of the Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, the BJP gained all 18 wards, except one, which went to the Congress. The BJP captured 68 seats out of the total 72 seats of the RMC, the rest 4 seats won by the opposition Congress. The Congress had secured 34 seats in the previous elections held in 2015.
In Jamnagar, the BJP captured 50 seats out of the total 64 seats of the JMC, while the opposition Congress won 11 seats and the BSP took three seats, opening their accounts in Gujarat. In Bhavnagar, the BJP captured 44 seats out of the total 52 seats of the BMC, the rest going to the opposition Congress.
Making a debut in the state by fielding its candidates for the six municipal Corporations, the AAP gained 27 seats in the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) against the BJP’s 93 seats, becoming the opposition party in the SMC. Congress could not even secure a single seat in Surat. The new BJP Gujarat chief C.R. Patil hails from Surat.
Similarly the AIMIM, opening its account in Ahmedabad by winning two wards of Jamalpura and Maktampura, a stronghold of the Congress, sent a message the grand old party, which was echoed by the BSP gaining three seats in ward number 6 of the Jamnagar Municipal Corporation elections.
Polling for 576 seats in Gujarat’s six civic corporations was held on 21 February.
