Ahmedabad: The governing BJP once again demonstrated its dominance in Gujarat on Tuesday, winning all 15 municipal corporations and 78 of the 84 municipalities in the local body elections, reaffirming its stronghold in urban areas.
The party also performed strongly in rural regions, securing 33 of the 34 district panchayats and 220 of the 260 taluka panchayats. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won the Narmada district panchayat, while the Congress party captured the Khadia seat in Ahmedabad, a BJP stronghold for 46 years.
Urban Sweep
BJP swept major cities including Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar, and Bhavnagar, and made its debut in nine newly formed municipal corporations: Navsari, Gandhidham, Morbi, Vapi, Anand, Nadiad, Mehsana, Porbandar, and Surendranagar. Out of the total 1,044 seats across 15 cities, BJP won a staggering 937, Congress secured 95, while AAP and others got six seats each. Most of AAP's previous gains in Surat city, where it won 27 out of 120 seats in 2021, were reversed as its tally dropped to just four seats in a single ward.
Municipalities and Rural Areas
In the towns, BJP won 78 of the 84 municipalities that held polls, while Congress won six. In the previous elections in 2021, 81 municipalities went to polls, with BJP winning 75, Congress four, and others two. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, "The bond between Gujarat and 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."
Once the results were announced, both the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress staked claim as the No. 2 party in Gujarat.
