Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Gopal Italia won the Visavadar Assembly by-election in Gujarat, defeating Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Kirit Patel by more than 17,000 votes.
The bypoll, which had been necessitated due to the resignation of incumbent MLA Bhupat Bhayani, witnessed a triangular battle between AAP, BJP, and Congress. But it was Italia—a prominent AAP leader in Gujarat and the erstwhile state chief of the party—who took the lead early in counting and maintained it till the last count.
As per figures announced by the Election Commission of India, Italia polled 75,942 votes, followed by the BJP candidate Kirit Patel with 58,388 votes. Congress candidate Nitin Ranpariya was a distant third with 5,501 votes, highlighting the party's consistent fall in the state's changing political scenario.
In the wake of the victory, Italia credited the win to the people's support for AAP's style of governance.
This win is for the people of Visavadar. They have given their mandate to clean politics, local development, and a decisive alternative. This is just the start," he added.
Italia's win has been touted as a coming-of-age moment for the AAP in Saurashtra, a stronghold of the BJP and Congress historically. Political commentators aver that this win could be an indication of a sea change in voter sentiment—especially among young voters and rural electors—many of whom seem to be attracted to AAP's emphasis on jobs, education overhaul, and anti-graft.
Though the loss was, the BJP leaders asserted that the party still is the state's dominant political force. Conceding the loss, they attributed "localised factors" and stated the party would reflect on its methods and change its strategy in the area. Visavadar, situated in Junagadh district, has been a key seat with a sizeable agrarian electorate and past record of voting swings between Congress and BJP.
This is for the first time that AAP has won the seat, indicating the rising grip of the party at the ground level in Gujarat.
Italia's political rise has been controversial and activist in nature. He first became famous in January 2017, when, while still an employee of the government, he openly questioned then Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel for violating Gujarat's policy of liquor prohibition. He later hit news headlines after he hurled a shoe at Home Minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja while crying "down with corruption," which resulted in his suspension and subsequent resignation.
Between 2018 and 2020, Italia was affiliated with the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), wherein he conducted public sessions titled "Kayda Katha" to make people aware of constitutional rights.
He formally became AAP's Gujarat Vice President in June 2020 and soon became state president by December 2020, a position he retained until early 2023. AAP made its entry into the 2021 local body elections with 27 seats in Surat and one in Gandhinagar under his leadership. During the 2022 Gujarat Assembly polls, the party won almost 13 per cent of the vote share and five Assembly seats.
Italia's recent electoral victory has been viewed as a major confidence booster for AAP ahead of the 2027 Gujarat Assembly polls.
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