BJP adds 5 seats in Gujarat by-polls
In a morale-boosting performance after the Lok Sabha defeat, the ruling BJP today wrested five Assembly seats from Congress in Gujarat and won one each in Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where the party got a majority in the state Assembly.
In Gujarat, the BJP wrested Jasdan, Chotila, Dehgam, Danta and Sami-Harij from Congress while it lost Kodinar to the main opposition party which retained Dhoraji.
Out of the seven Assembly seats in Gujarat where by-polls were held on September 10, six were held by the Congress while one was with BJP. With today's win, BJP's strength in the 182-member Assembly goes up to 122 while that of Congress 54. Others account for six.
The by-elections results will come as a great relief for Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, after the unimpressive performance in the Lok Sabha polls and defeat to Congress in Junagadh Municipal Corporation body elections. In the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had won 15 of the 26 seats with the rest going to the Congress.
The by-polls were considered to be test of popularity of Modi, who chose to abstain from campaigning. Party cadres and workers celebrated throughout the state.
BJP also secured a wafer-thin majority on its own in the Uttarakhand Assembly by winning the Vikasnagar seat, taking its tally to 36 in the 70-member House.
In Madhya Pradesh, the ruling BJP wrested Tendukheda from Congress which retained Gohad seat.
In Andhra Pradesh and Sikkim, ruling Congress and Sikkim Democratic Front respectively won Tekkali and Namchi-Singhithang seats.
