BJP workers celebrating outside counting centre in Gandhinagar. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)GMC elections Highlights: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) registered a landslide victory in the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) elections, held Sunday, by winning 41 out of 44 seats on Tuesday. The Congress, on the other hand, was able to bag only two seats, while Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won one.
In the Okha nagarpalika elections, too, BJP recorded a resounding victory, winning 34 out of the 36 seats.
PM Narendra Modi expressed his gratitude towards the people of Gujarat for BJP’s victory in the civic polls, stating that the results “reaffirm the deep-rooted bond between the people of Gujarat and BJP.”
Meanwhile, Congress snatched away the Bhanvad municipality from BJP in Devbhumi Dwarka, where mid-term elections were held. Congress won 16 out of 24 seats, while BJP only got eight.
The Gujarat State Election Commission (SEC) authorities had said the polling in GMC remained largely peaceful without any untoward incident. According to estimated figures of the SEC, the polling witnessed around 56.24 per cent voter turnout.
Elections to the two nagarpalikas–Tharad in Banaskantha and Okha in Devbhumi Dwarka–and mid-term elections to Bhanvad nagarpalika in Devbhumi Dwarka witnessed an estimated average of 59.52 per cent voting.
BJP workers celebrates victory in GMC elections.
The BJP has made a major dent in the Congress belt in the Tapi district, winning six taluka panchayat seats and a district panchayat seat in the bypolls. Out of the six taluka panchayat seats, in three seats -- Karanajvel (District Panchayat), Balpur (Vyara Taluka Panchayat) and Kherwada (Songadh taluka Panchayat) -- majority of the voters were Christian. Earlier, these three seats were with Congress.
Similarly, in other seats, Kedkui (Vyara Taluka Panchayat), Ghat (Vyara Taluka Panchayat), Bedarapiura (Dolvan Taluka Panchayat), Shale (Nizar taluka Panchayat), where the BJP candidates won, the ratio of Christian community is around 50 per cent, according to political experts.
In a setback to the Congress party, the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) has won the 11 Pandva-1 taluka panchayat seat of Balasinor Taluka Panchayat in Mahisagar district in the bypolls held on September 3.
The seat, which was originally won by Congress' Madhu Amarsinh Chauhan in February 2021, had been vacated due to her demise.
BJP candidate Champa Chauhan was declared a winner in the bypolls on Tuesday. Congress' defeat is a major embarrassment for sitting party MLA Ajitsinh Parvatsinh Chauhan from Balasinor, who is a native of Pandva.
The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) has retained its 17-Poicha taluka panchayat seat of Savli Taluka Panchayat in Vadodara district with party candidate Sejal Gohil winning by a margin of 989 votes, securing 1963 votes. Congress candidate Chatur Gohil polled 974 votes while 15 votes were polled for the NOTA option.
The BJP had won the General cateogory seat reserved for a woman candidate in the February polls, but the seat was vacated due to the demise of the elected representative Meena Gohil, who had contracted Covid-19 and thereafter, succumbed in May.
The 17-Poicha taluka seat has traditionally been a BJP bastion, with the party having won the 2015 local body polls from here.
The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) has retained its Raipura taluka panchayat seat of Vadodara Taluka Panchayat with party candidate Arjun Solanki winning by a margin of eight votes. Congress candidate Mahendra Solanki demanded recounting of the votes but the Returning officer declared Arjun Solanki the winner.
The BJP had won the General Category seat of the Vadodara taluka Panchayat in February this year with Jayanti Gordhan Parmar as the candidate. The seat was vacated due to Parmar's demise.
Later, in the evening, Congress candidate Mahendra Solanki accepted the people's mandate. Mahendra said, "Last time, in February, we had lost the seat by 900 votes. In this bypoll, the margin has been reduced to eight votes. I thank the voters and accept the mandate. We will work harder in the coming days."
Taking to Twitter, BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah called BJP's victory in the civic polls a "historic win." "I am sure that under the guidance of PM Modi, the Gujarat government will continue to work for the welfare and development of the poor, backward and deprived sections of the state," Shah added.
Expressing gratitude towards the people of Gujarat for BJP's victory in the civic polls, PM Modi stated that the results "reaffirm the deep-rooted bond between the people of Gujarat and BJP."
Speaking to reporters following BJP's win in the GMC polls, CM Bhupendra Patel stated, "PM Modi has reposed trust in me. I express my gratitude to the people for the BJP's victory in Gandhinagar and local bodies in other parts of Gujarat and my team and I will work in coordination with the party chief to meet their expectations."
Following BJP's victory in Gandhinagar's civic polls, the BJP National President congratulated Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and state party president, CR Paatil.
BJP National President JP Nadda tweeted that the party's victory in the GMC polls shows people's faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and BJP's policies for their welfare.
BJP retained the Okha municipality in Devbhumi Dwarka, winning 34 out of the 36 seats.
In the last election, BJP had won 20 seats and Congress 16.
Congress snatched away Bhanvad municipality from BJP in Devbhumi Dwarka, after winning 16 out of the 24 seats. BJP got only eight seats.
The midterm poll was conducted after a BJP rebel group, which had seized control of the civic body, failed to pass the annual budget twice.
Speaking to reporters after winning one seat in the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) elections, the AAP state President, Gopal Italia, said, "For BJP and Congress, Aam Aadmi Party has lost the Gandhinagar civic polls but for me, I am proud of my party workers’ hard work and for presenting themselves as a strong opposition. On one hand was a power-hungry party and on other hand we just had our passion."
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 41 out of 44 seats in the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) elections. The Congress was able to bag only two seats, while AAP won only one.
Addressing party workers, Gujarat BJP President C R Paatil said that out of 44 seats of GMC, BJP has won 41 seats and the results have shown that people of Gujarat have full faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Paatil also said that the results have once again proved that there is no space for third party in Gujarat.
Six candidates of BJP win six seats in Ward Number 1 of Randheja and Ward Number 2 of Pethapur. Counting of votes underway for one seat each in Ward number 1 and 2.
Updated GMC count :
BJP: 39
Congress: 2
Aap: 1
Two seats are left for counting. It has been finished at 42 seats.
BJP wins three seats in Ward Number 8 (Ambapur Sargasan) of GMC. Counting of one more seat in progress of this ward. It has one General seat, one reserved SC, one reserved OBC woman and one reserved female seat.
Updated count BJP: 29, Congress: 1, AAP:1
In Tapi district panchayat's Karanjwel seat, BJP candidate Madhuben Gamit won defeating Congress candidate. The seat traditionally belonged to congress party.Congress MLA Punaji Gamit is resident of Karanjwel.
BJP wins three seats in ward number 6 (Mahatma Mandir) of GMC. The fourth seat was won by AAP candidate. In this ward number 6, two are general seats and two are reserved General women seats.
Total count:
BJP: 26
Cong: 1
AAP: 1
Tushar Parikh of Aam Aadmi Party wins one seat in ward number 6 of Mahatma Mandir in GMC. Opens party’s count in GMC polls.
Total count of GMC Polls:
BJP: 25
Congress : 1
AAP: 1
GMC polls: 12 pm alert
BJP: 23
Congress: 1
AAP: 0
BJP panel of four candidates win all four seats in ward number 4 Palaj Dholakuva of GMC
BJP’s panel of four candidates win all four seats of Ward number 10 Koba in GMC. This ward has two general seats and two general women seats.
Total count :
BJP :19
Congress : 1
AAP: 0
Out of total 44 seats, results have been declared for 20 seats. Bharatiya Janata Party has won 19 seats so far, while the Congress has won one and AAP has niot opened its account yet.
Maulik Patel of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) declared winner of bye-election of Isanpur seat (ward number 45) of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. This seat is of General category and the polling percentage on Sunday for Isanpur was 27.19%
This is the third general elections of GMC. The state capital was awarded status of municipal Corporation in 2010-11 after an order of Gujarat High court. The order came on a petition moved by some concerned citizens of Gandhinagar city in September 2009. Order was passed by a division bench of the then Chief Justice of Gujarat HC K S Radhakrishnan and Justice Akil Kureshi.
In Okha municipality, BJP is poised for a landslide victory. The ruling party is set to win 34 out of 36 seats in the civic body. Of the results declared for 32 seats, BJP has won 30 and Congress 2.
Independent candidate Ranju marcha from Ward no. 2 in Valsad nagar Palika bye-election wins while in Ward no. 5, BJP candidate adv. Hitesh Patel wins.
BJP candidate Vimalbhai Gajdhar wins in Ward no. 6.
BJP candidates Satish Patel and Kiran Patel won in Ward number 1 of Valsad.
In ward number 7, all four BJP candidates win
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won 15 seats and Congress 1 in the Gandhinagar Election. Keep following this blog to get all the latest updates!
In the previous GMC elections, the BJP and the Congress were tied with each party winning 16 of the total 32 seats. But within days, in a stunning move, Congress councillor Pravin Patel and one of his associates defected to the BJP, paving the way for the latter to form the body in GMC. Patel then became the Gandhinagar mayor.
Later, following the new delimitation, the total number of seats in GMC was increased to 44. Elections to GMC were due in April this year. However, it was postponed owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.
A total of 2.82 lakh voters–1.45 lakh males and 1.36 lakh females–were expected to cast votes in the elections. The SEC had set up a total of 284 polling booths of which 129 were marked as ‘sensitive’.
Rajkot district Panchayat bypoll: Congress retains Shivrajpur seat it had won in February this year while snatches away Sanathali seat from the BJP. Both these seats fall in Jasdan taluka, the election constituency of former minister Kunvarji Bavaliya. These two seats had fallen vacant after sitting members died due to Covid-19
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Gujarat's candidate Rupasibhai Bhagora wins bye-election of Taluka panchayat, Ward number 22 Ubsal in Bhiloda of Aravalli district.
In GMC Ward 9 and Ward 5, all four BJP candidates are leading on four seats each
BJP wins all four seats in ward number 1 in Okha Minicipality and three seats of ward number 1 in Bhanvad Municipality, the fourth seat goes to Congress. Both Okha and Bhanvad are in Devbhumi Dwarka district.
After Round 1, three Congress candidates and one BJP candidate leading on total four seats in ward number 7.
While the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress fielded candidates on all 44 seats, the AAP had candidates in 40 seats. Other candidates in the fray include 14 from the BSP, two from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), six from other parties and 11 independents.
A total of 161 candidates are in the fray for the 44 seats across 11 wards in GMC. This time, the elections have become a three-pronged contest with the entry of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Speaking to The Indian Express, Gandhinagar Superintendent of Police, Mayur Chavda, had said, “Elections were peacefully conducted in Gandhinagar on Sunday. No incident of violence was reported throughout the day. There were a few calls made by workers of political parties with complaints against other parties’ workers. Neither have we received any application nor was there any FIR lodged at any of the police stations.”
The Gujarat State Election Commission (SEC) authorities said the polling for the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC), held Sunday, remained largely peaceful without any untoward incident. According to estimated figures of the SEC, the polling witnessed around 56.24 per cent voter turnout.
“The election was held between 7 am and 6 pm. Voting has concluded peacefully with no untoward incident,” SEC stated in an official release.
The counting of votes for the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) elections, which were held on Sunday, will began at 8 am.
Hello and welcome to our Gandhinagar municipal corporation election results Live blog. We will bring you all the latest updates from the Capital. Stay tuned!