As the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party appeared set to tighten its grip over municipal and panchayat bodies in Gujarat on result day, the Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen saw a silver lining in select pockets, particularly in Bhuj and Bharuch municipalities in Kutch district.
AIMIM's Surprise Performance
The party, which fielded candidates in around 400 wards, emerged as a surprise element in the otherwise BJP-dominated civic elections. Its chief Asaduddin Owaisi campaigned till the final stage of the polls, addressing public gatherings in Ahmedabad and Bhuj. He strongly criticised the BJP over the Uniform Civil Code and urged voters to support alternatives to the ruling party.
Clean Sweep in Bhuj Ward
AIMIM's most significant performance came from Ward No. 1 of Bhuj Municipality in Kutch district, where three party candidates secured decisive wins. As per television reports, Sarfaraz polled 3,705 votes, Mukhtar secured 3,581 votes, and Roshan received 3,370 votes, marking a clean sweep in the ward. Additionally, one seat in the same ward was won by a Congress candidate. With this result, AIMIM has managed to establish a visible electoral presence in Bhuj.
Strong Showing in Bharuch
Another notable outcome came from Bharuch Municipality, where AIMIM secured all four seats in Ward No. 10, strengthening its limited but growing footprint in Gujarat civic politics.
While limited in scale, AIMIM's performance in Bhuj and Bharuch marks one of its more visible entries into Gujarat's local body politics. The results indicate that the party has managed to translate selective campaign messaging into votes in pockets where it has been actively engaged.
This report includes agency inputs.
