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This is an archive article published on March 23, 2025

AAP fields Gopal Italia for Assembly bypoll in Gujarat’s Visavadar, EC yet to announce date

The Visavadar seat has been lying vacant since December 2023, when Bhupendra Bhayani resigned as the AAP MLA and joined the ruling BJP.

gopal italiaItalia is a senior leader who previously served as the president of Gujarat AAP.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Sunday announced Gopal Italia as its candidate for the Visavadar Assembly constituency bypoll in Gujarat. Italia is a senior leader who previously served as the president of Gujarat AAP. National general secretary Sandeep Pathak made the announcement, even though the Election Commission has yet to announce the bypoll date.

The Visavadar constituency, located in the Junagadh district of Gujarat’s Saurashtra region, was previously won by AAP candidate Bhupendra Bhayani during the 2022 state Assembly elections. However, in December 2023, Bhayani resigned as an AAP MLA and joined the BJP, leaving the seat vacant.

BJP candidate Harshad Ribadiya, who lost to Bhayani in 2022, initially challenged the election results in a petition filed with the Gujarat High Court. Recently, Ribadiya withdrew this election petition, which has cleared the way for the bypoll in the Visavadar constituency.

The Election Commission conducted bypolls to five out of six Assembly segments that fell vacant after the MLAs winning the seats in December 2022 resigned but decided not to declare a bypoll to the Visavadar seat due to the pending election petition.

Parimal A Dabhi works with The Indian Express as Chief of Bureau, focusing on the state of Gujarat. Leveraging his seniority and access, Dabhi is recognized for his reporting on the complex interplay of law, politics, social justice, and governance within the region. Expertise & Authority Core Authority (Social Justice and Law): Dabhi is a key source for in-depth coverage of caste-based violence, discrimination, and the state's response to social movements, particularly those involving Patidar, Dalit and OBC communities. His reporting focuses on the societal and legal fallout of these issues: Caste and Discrimination: He has reported extensively on social boycotts and instances of violence against Dalits (such as the attack on a Dalit wedding party in Patan), the community's demands (like refusing to pick carcasses), and the political responses from leaders like Jignesh Mevani. Judicial and Legal Affairs: He tracks significant, high-stakes legal cases and judgments that set precedents in Gujarat, including the convictions under the stringent Gujarat Animal Preservation Act (cow slaughter), 2002 Gujarat riots and developments in cases involving former police officers facing charges of wrongful confinement and fake encounters. Political and Administrative Oversight: Dabhi provides essential coverage of the inner workings of the state government and the opposition, ensuring a high degree of Trustworthiness in political analysis: State Assembly Proceedings: He frequently reports directly from the Gujarat Assembly, covering Question Hour, discussion on various Bills, debates on budgetary demands for departments like Social Justice, and ministerial statements on issues like illegal mining, job quotas for locals, and satellite-based farm loss surveys. Electoral Politics: His work details key political developments, including election analysis (voter turnout records), party organizational changes (like the end of C R Patil’s tenure as BJP chief), and campaign dynamics. ... Read More

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