Saffron strongholds in Gujarat: Locals vote for triple-engine sarkar

AHMEDABAD: The ruling BJP yet again underlined its supremacy over Gujarat's political landscape on Tuesday as it swept the local body polls, winning all 15 municipal corporations and 78 of the 84 municipalities, reiterating its complete dominance in cities and towns.

The saffron party also posted a spectacular performance in villages, winning 33 of the 34 district panchayats and 220 of the 260 taluka panchayats.



The sweet taste of victory was marred only by the opposition parties — Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) — posting some key wins in rural Gujarat, with AAP wresting the Narmada district panchayat from BJP while Congress grabbed the Khadia seat, considered a BJP citadel, with the party winning it for 46 years in Ahmedabad city.

As votes were counted on Tuesday morning, BJP maintained a winning streak in all municipal corporations. It swept Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar cities while making its power debut in nine newly formed municipal corporations in Navsari, Gandhidham, Morbi, Vapi, Anand, Nadiad, Mehsana, Porbandar and Surendranagar.

Of the total 1,044 seats in 15 cities, BJP won a staggering 937, Congress 95, AAP and others got six seats each. Most of AAP's gains as a debutante in Surat city in 2021, when it won 27 seats out of 120, were reversed as its tally diminished to just four seats in a single ward.

In towns, BJP won 78 of the 84 municipalities for which polls were held while Congress won six.In the last elections in 2021, 81 municipalities had gone to polls, with BJP winning 75, Congress four and others two.

"The bond between Gujarat and the BJP gets even stronger! Gratitude to the people of Gujarat for a sweeping mandate in the mahanagarpalika, nagar palika, taluka panchayat and zilla panchayat elections held across the state," PM Narendra Modi tweeted.

The BJP's winning juggernaut met with some bumps in the hinterland. While it swept 33 of the 34 districts, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) proved a fly in the ointment for the BJP in Narmada district. Led by its firebrand MLA Chaitar Vasava, who had been relentlessly fighting for tribals on the ground, AAP wrested this district panchayat from BJP, spoiling its perfect winning score. Of the 1,090 district panchayat seats, BJP bagged 892, Congress got 136, AAP got 58 and four went to others. In 2021, BJP had won all 31 district panchayats for which elections were held. This time, a new district, Vav-Tharad, was added, while elections were also held in Banaskantha and Kheda districts, which did not go to polls in 2021. Top losers included ex-IPS officer Manoj Ninama, who had quit service to fight from the Odh seat in Aravalli on a BJP ticket but lost.

The saffron party romped home in taluka panchayats too, winning 220 of the total 260 taluka panchayats. Of the total 5,234 seats up for grabs in taluka panchayats, BJP secured 3,674, Congress won 1,050, AAP won 407 while others got 97 seats. In 2021, elections were held for 231 taluka panchayats, with BJP winning 196, Congress 33 and two going to others. Congress's tally declined from 33 in 2021 to 18 even as AAP made substantial gains, bagging 12 taluka panchayats this year.

Political experts noted that even as AAP lost ground in Surat, it more than made up for the loss by making good gains in rural Gujarat. Apart from wresting Narmada district, AAP, led by fiery groundwork by its local leaders Chaitar Vasava and Gopal Italia, posted wins in tribal seats in south Gujarat and Saurashtra, namely Dediapada, Chikda, Garudeshwar, Valia, Bagasra, Lalpur, Junagadh, Visavadar, Sagbara, Chhota Udepur and Kavant taluka panchayats.

Congress picked up 1,740 of the total 9,992 seats across local bodies. Its overall victory tally dropped this election as it won 18 taluka panchayats against 33 in 2021, even as its tally of municipalities marginally rose from four to six. The party picked up additional seats across urban and rural areas. For instance, its tally in the Ahmedabad civic body rose from 24 to 32, with the party winning the BJP bastion of Khadia too. In Rajkot, it added four seats to reach a total of seven. It also won Ward 16, which includes the Jangleshwar area that recently witnessed a large-scale demolition drive. A notable win for Congress was Dabhoi municipality in Vadodara despite the clout wielded by local BJP MLA Shailesh Mehta alias Sotta.

Interestingly, once the results settled in, AAP and Congress indulged in a war of words, both staking claim as the No. 2 party in Gujarat. AAP state president Isudan Gadhvi said, "AAP has come to power in one district panchayat and 12 taluka panchayats and emerged as the main opposition party in several municipalities. AAP has stood second in this election."

Congress state president Amit Chavda rubbished AAP's claim. "AAP's claim as No-2 party is the result of nexus between AAP and BJP to mislead people. Officials data reflects Congress's gains in many local bodies. They should give proof in numbers for No-2 claim," said Chavda.
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