BJP sweeps Gujarat local body election ahead of 2027 Assembly polls

Ahmedabad: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the local body elections, winning all 15 municipal corporations and dominating the municipalities, district and taluka panchayats, while decimating both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The results come a year ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, when grassroots organisational strength becomes crucial for the parties as it sets the tone for the high-stake electoral battle.

The ruling party won all 15 municipal corporations in this historic victory, continuing its dominance in the urban pockets. The party decimated the Congress and AAP in these centres. The biggest setback for the AAP was its loss in Surat where it won only four seats, compared to 27 in the previous election when it had found a foot in the door in the state's electoral history.

Similarly, BJP won 78 of 84 municipal bodies while Congress ended with just six of them. BJP also recorded historic victory by winning 33 district panchayats out of 34 while the saffron party won 253 of 260 taluka panchayats while Congress won seven and one went to AAP.

In a post on X, the prime minister Narendra Modi applauded the party workers at the grassroot and said, "The bond between Gujarat and the BJP gets even stronger! Gratitude to the people of Gujarat for a sweeping mandate in Mahanagarpalika, Nagarpalika, Taluka Panchayat and Zilla Panchayat elections held across the state." 

Congress state president Amit Chavda in a video message thanked the voters and said that the party accepted the "verdict of the people". Meanwhile, AAP claimed that it stood second in the election as it secured 366 seats compared to 261 by Congress. 

Party's state president Isudan Gadhvi said that party won approximately 300 seats in taluka panchayat, 44 in district panchayat and 18 in municipalities and six in municipal corporation. 

Gadhvi said in a press release that the result in Surat was "shocking" and claimed "amid BJP's authoritarianism, hooliganism, misinformation campaigns, jailing many workers and filing FIRs, the candidates proved to be fighters for the people of Gujarat."

The party termed its victory in Narmada district panchayat and 12 taluka panchayats as "historic" since the party won them for the first time. Majority of them are from tribal dominated areas including Dediapada, Chikda, Sagbada, Poshina, Chota Udepur and some in Saurashtra's Bagasara, Visavadar, among others. 

While the Congress campaign remained largely predictable, the AAP had been looking to improve its performance. Arvind Kejriwal’s party was widely expected to emerge as a strong opposition force but suffered setbacks at crucial junctures. 

One of the biggest blows came a day before the polling in Gujarat when seven of its Rajya Sabha MPs, including Raghav Chadha and Sandeep Pathak, among others resigned in Delhi and announced joining BJP.

In 2022, Pathak had served as AAP’s election in-charge for Gujarat. Political observers believe the party’s image as a credible alternative to the BJP took a hit.