Ahmedabad: In eastern Ahmedabad, 23.7 lakh voters will decide the outcome of 120 seats across 30 wards in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation elections, making the region central to the battle for control of the civic body.
In the 2021 AMC elections, the BJP dominated eastern Ahmedabad by winning 93 of the 120 seats. Congress secured 22 seats, AIMIM won four, and one seat went to an independent candidate.
Compared to 2021, the voter base in 29 eastern wards has declined by 5.8 lakh. Nikol is the only ward to register an increase, with 3,902 more voters. The main contest in the eastern region is between the BJP and Congress, though in 10 wards comprising 40 seats, other parties could play a decisive role and upset the calculations of both major parties.
BJP Strongholds and Congress Challenges
Naroda, Nikol, Shahibaug, Thakkarbapanagar, Khadia, Maninagar, Isanpur, Odhav, Vastral, Indrapuri, Bhaipura Hatkeshwar, Khokhra, Insapur and Vatva are considered BJP strongholds. Congress, however, has shown strength in wards such as Behrampura, Gomtipur, Dariapur and Jamalpur, despite losing all four seats in Jamalpur in 2021.
Key Battleground Wards
This time, key battleground wards in eastern Ahmedabad include Kubernagar, Saijpur Bogha, India Colony, Amraiwadi, Lambha, Ramol Hathijan, Sardarnagar and Bapunagar. In Muslim-dominated wards such as Shahpur, Dariapur, Jamalpur, Behrampura, and Gomtipur, the contest is expected to be triangular among BJP, Congress and AIMIM. In Gomtipur, the presence of Aam Aadmi Party candidates has made it a four-cornered contest. In Lambha, BJP, Congress and independents are in direct competition.
Ahmedabad city spans 480.88 sq km, of which eastern Ahmedabad accounts for 247.45 sq km, larger than the western region's 233.43 sq km. Eastern Ahmedabad remains the decisive region in shaping the balance of power in the AMC.
