Gujarat election result 2015: Cong terms its performance as ‘verdict against BJP govt’
Gujarat civic election results 2015: Counting of votes for the crucial local bodies polls in Gujarat, a litmus test for the ruling BJP against the backdrop of Patel quota agitation, is under way.
Congress candidates celebrate after winning four seats in Ward 1 of Vadodara Municipal Corporation. (Source: Express Photo By Bhupendra Rana)
The opposition Congress is making a serious comeback in Gujarat, even though the ruling BJP is winning most of the municipal corporations in the state in the civic body elections for which counting is being held today. The crucial local bodies polls is being considered a litmus test for the ruling BJP against the backdrop of Patel quota agitation.
The elections, being seen as a challenge for Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, as they are also the first major polls in the state after she took over from Narendra Modi.
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The Congress is hoping to cash in on resentment of the Patel community against BJP. All six municipal corporations — Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar, and Bhavnagar — are controlled by the BJP.
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6:20 pm: The local bodies polls are being seen as a crucial test of Chief Minister Anandiben Patel’s popularity as these are the first major elections after Modi moved over to Delhi on becoming the Prime Minister.
4:10 pm: Vadodara District Panchayat total 176; INC 94, BJP 72, JDU 1, OTH 8.
4:02 pm: Congress wins majority in Vadodara District & Panchayat polls.
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4:00 pm: JDU wins Jhagadia Taluka & District Panchayats in Bharuch tribal belt.
3:52 pm: Congress sweeps Chhota Udepur District Panchayat (32) INC 21 , BJP 10, OTH 1
3:50 pm:
3:45 pm:
3:40 pm: BJP retains Botad municipality but loses elsewhere in entire district.
3:30 pm: Imran Khedawala, who contested independently from Jamalpur after being denied a Cong ticket, wins by 19 votes.
3:09 pm:
Gujarat Election result 2015: BJP candidates celebrate after winning four seats in Ward 17 of Vadodara Municipal Corporation. (Source: Express Photo By Bhupendra Rana)
2:53 pm:
2:52 pm:
2:50 pm:
2:45 pm: Congress wins all 6 taluka panchayats in Jamnagar district. The worst defeat for BJP comes in Kalavad, home to BJP Gujarat chief RC Faldu where Congress notched 14 of the total 16 seats. BJP got only 2 seats.
1:15 pm: BJP wins lone Porbandar municipality in the district
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1:00 pm: Results in the district and taluk panchayats have seen the Congress effectively making a comeback to rural Gujarat
12:25 pm: There seems to be a Patidar effect in Morbi. Congress sweeps Morbi district panchayat and four of the five taluk panchayats. It wins Morbi, Tankara Wankaner and Maliya-Miyana taluka panchayats. BJP manages win in Wankaner municipality.
12:15 pm: Info from our reporter in Gujarat
11:50 am: BIG update! Congress has snatched the Rajkot district panchayat from the BJP
11:30 am: In Amreli municipality, Congress leading in 11 seats, BJP in 5 seats
Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues.
Expertise:
Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including:
Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground.
Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure.
Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case).
Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions.
Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More
