Riding on huge victory in municipal corporations last week, the BJP on Tuesday routed the Congress in the latter's bastion in the local body polls as the ruling party wrested power in majority of talukas, district panchayats and Nagar Palikas. By the late evening, as results were being updated, BJP won all 31 district panchayats, 74 of 81 municipalities and 196 of 231 taluka panchayat seats.
Hours after the trend showed BJP winning decisively, state Congress president Amit Chavda and leader of opposition in the assembly Paresh Dhanani tendered resignations. Party spokesperson Manish Doshi told DH that both the leaders have been told to stay put for the time being. Insiders said that both the leaders will divest their responsibility by the end of the month.
Votes were counted for elections to 81 municipalities, 31 district panchayats and 231 taluka panchayats which have a total of 8,774 seats, polls for which were held on Sunday. By 8 pm, BJP had won 196 taluka panchayats, while Congress was restricted to 33. In 2015, the opposition party had won 146 taluka panchayats. In the last poll, in 2015, Congress had captured power in 23 district panchayats.
The result of local bodies holds importance in view of 2022 state Assembly elections.
Exuberant with the result, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupai held a press conference at BJP headquarters in Gandhinagar where he said that people have reposed their trust in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also said that Congress has "no right to remain in opposition anymore."
The biggest setbak for Congress was its defeat in the districts of its top leaders incuding party President Amit Chavda, Paresh Dhanani and Working President Hardik Patel. At least, eight children of Congress leaders tasted defeat. "The result is unexpected. There is some foul play that the BJP has played with the help of state machinery," said Congress' spokesperson Manish Doshi.
On the other side, Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party won a total of 42 seats, while the biggest surprise was Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM, which emerged as main opposition in Godhra, central Gujarat, and Modasa, north Gujarat, munipalities. In Modasa it won 9 out of 12 seats it contested, while in Godhra it bagged 7 out of 8 easts.
Published 02 March 2021, 09:57 IST