Celebrations outside BJP headquarters in Gandhinagar as trends show BJP leading in the local body election results.Gujarat Local Body Election Results 2021 HIGHLIGHTS: After winning big in six municipal corporations in Gujarat, the BJP swept the elections to district panchayats, taluka panchayats and municipalities in the state, as results came in on Tuesday.
The Congress, which had made significant gains in 2015 elections to these local bodies, stood vanquished – Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) chief Amit Chavda and Leader of Opposition in Assembly Paresh Dhanani resigned from their posts owning up to the debacle.
As per the figures, district panchayats witnessed average voting of 66.67 per cent, taluka panchayats recorded voting of 66.86 per cent and municipalities witnessed average voting of 59.05 per cent. Voting for around 7,998 seats of the local bodies was held on Sunday. Prior to that, 237 seats were declared elected uncontested by various candidates. The elections witnessed a three-way contest between BJP, Congress and AAP.
During the voting on Sunday, violence was reported at various places in the state. In one such incident, an attempt was made to capture a booth in Ghodiya village of Zalod taluka in Dahod district. Unidentified persons had allegedly entered the booth and tried to vandalize the electronic voting machines (EVMs) at the location. Following the incident, voting was suspended at the booth with orders of re-polling to be carried out on Monday. As per SEC officials, the re-polling on Monday concluded peacefully with voters’ turnout recorded at 49.12 per cent.
After winning big in six municipal corporations in Gujarat, the BJP swept the elections to district panchayats, taluka panchayats and municipalities in the state, as results came in on Tuesday.
The Congress, which had made significant gains in 2015 elections to these local bodies, stood vanquished – Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) chief Amit Chavda and Leader of Opposition in Assembly Paresh Dhanani resigned from their posts owning up to the debacle.
As the results started coming in, indicating a clear BJP victory, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and state BJP president C R Paatil reached party headquarters – Shree Kamalam in Gandhinagar – in the afternoon to celebrate. Addressing the media, they said the BJP was likely to win all 31 district panchayats.
Rupani told party workers, “BJP’s saffon flag now flies high in the elections of panchayats and nagarpalikas in Gujarat. Earlier, there were speculations that the BJP has presence in cities but will not get votes/seats in villages. But we have got result even better than in cities. (We are going to win) 31 out of 31 district panchayats. At some places we are winning entire nagarpalikas...”
BJP president JP Nadda congratulates party workers for victory in Gujarat local body polls. "I thank the people of Gujarat wholeheartedly for revealing their faith in 'BJP', a symbol of development and trust in local body elections. For this unprecedented victory, State President Shri @CRPaatil , Chief Minister @vijayrupanibjp And my congratulations to all the energetic activists," he tweeted.
Continuing its impressive run in the local body polls in Gujarat, Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) won 9 seats out of 12 contested in Modasa Nagarpalika elections, results to which were released on Tuesday.
Of the 9 seats won by the AIMIM, 6 seats were in Godhra Nagarpalika elections and one seat in Bharuch Nagarpalika.
With this win, the party has become the main opposition to the BJP in Modasa, which won 19 seats. The Congress could only manage to win four seats.
PM Modi tweets after BJP's impressive results in Gujarat local body polls: "Results of the Nagar Palika, Taluka Panchayat and District Panchayat polls across Gujarat give a crystal clear message- Gujarat is firmly with the BJP’s agenda of development and good governance. I bow to the people of Gujarat for the unwavering faith and affection towards BJP."
The AIMIM has won nine seats out of 12 contested in Modasa Nagarpalika elections, six seats out of eight in Godhra Nagarpalika elections and one seat in Bharuch Nagarpalika.
“The people of Gujarat have welcomed the Majlis with open arms. Today’s results give us the inspiration and vigour to prepare for upcoming panchayat elections in October this year and Vidhansabha polls in 2022,” said Hamid Bhatti, general secretary, AIMIM Gujarat.
Post the debacle of Congress, Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Amit Chavda and Gujarat Vidhansabha Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani have submitted their resignations to the party high command and they have been accepted. They will continue to serve the posts on interim basis till the time the party chooses new people on the posts.
“We accept the verdict of people even though the election results are below our expectations. We were not able to bring the issues of people and farmers’ issues during the election campaigning. Will continue to serve the people of Gujarat with new vigour and determination,” said Manish Doshi, spokesperson, GPCC.
Congress loses the Kevadia seat -- home to Statue of Unity-- of Narmada district Panchayat by 82 votes. BJP candidate Dinesh Tadvi defeated Congress candidate Ranjitsinh Tadvi, who is the son of sitting District Panchayat member Dilip Jesinh Tadvi.
AIMIM scores big in Modasa Nagarpalika polls in Aravalli district as it wins 8 seats out of 12 which they had contested. Pushes Congress to number 3 in Modasa with just four seats and places itself at second after BJP which is at 19.
In Saurashtra-Kutch, BJP returns to power in 10 district panchayats. In 2015, BJP had won only Porbandar and Kutch district panchayats. But this time it gains Rajkot, Jamnagar, Devbhumi Dwarka, Gir Somnath, Amreli, Junagadh, Botad, Morbi and Surendranagar.
(input by Gopal Kateshiya)
BJP wins 8 out of 11 taluka panchayats in Rajkot district. In Upleta taluka panchayat, both Congress and BJP have won 8 seats each with two seats going to independents. BJP has also wrested Rajkot district panchayat back from Congress.
Congress wins Jasdan and Vinchhiya taluka panchayats in Rajkot district. The two Taluka Panchayats constitute Jasdan Assembly seat, the borough of Water Supply Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya.
Congress had won these panchayats in 2015 also but BJP had gained indirect control post Bavaliya's defection.
The Congress is trailing the BJP in all five taluka Panchayats in Narmada district, where it won four of the taluka panchayats in 2015 in alliance with the Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP) -- Tilakwada, Nandod, Sagbara and Dediapada. The fifth taluka panchayat of Garudeshwar was won by the BJP in 2015 and the party is leading in the counting rounds. Garudeshwar taluka panchayat is the one under which the Statue of Unity and Kevadia tourism circuit fall.
BJP has won the Panchmahals District Panchayat by winning all 18 of 38 seats counted so far, while Congress has not managed to score a single seat so far.
In Padra Municipality in Vadodara, BJP wins with 16 of 28 seats, while 8 seats were won by independents, eliminating the Congress entirely.
BJP retains Savli Municipality in Vadodara district for the fourth consecutive term. BJP has won 16 of 24 seats in Savli Municipality while Congress won 8.
Former Vadodara District Panchayat President and Congress candidate Panna Bhatt loses from Dena seat.
BJP wins all 8 taluka panchayats in Kheda district including the Congress bastion of Mahuda.
BJP wrests power in Vadodara District Panchayat, winning 18 of 34 seats.
BJP wrests back Rajkot district panchayat from Congress by winning 26 out of 36 seats. Congress tally reduced to just 10 seats. In 2015, Congress had defeated BJP by winning 34 out of 36 seats and had reduced the ruling party to just 2 seats.
In 2015, Congress had won Botad district panchayat but the BJP had got a backdoor entry later on due to defections by sitting Congress members