The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reasserted its dominance in Gujarat by winning a landslide in the local body elections, including the overwhelming victory of the Junagadh Municipal Corporation (JMC).
In 68 municipalities, which were in the polls on February 16, the BJP won 60, as well as all three taluka panchayats.
After the outcome, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the people of Gujarat for their support.
Going on social media platform X, PM Modi posted: "Gujarat's bond with BJP is not only unbreakable, but it is getting stronger day by day! I offer my sincere thanks to the people of Gujarat for extending their complete support and blessings to the BJP in the state municipal elections.". This is yet another huge win in development politics. This will provide our diligent workers with a chance to work for the people with renewed vigor. I congratulate all the BJP workers, whose incessant hard work and efforts have resulted in this glorious triumph."
Gujarat BJP president C R Paatil credited the party’s resounding success to the leadership of PM Modi, strategic guidance from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and effective governance under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
We lost two municipalities to the SP, and one to the Congress. But in comparison to 2018, the BJP has won 14 more municipalities. While we have a clear majority in 60, we are sure of forming boards in five others with the help of independents," Paatil said.
However, Gujarat Congress chief Shaktisinh Gohil accepted that the party's performance was not up to mark but pointed out that its share of votes in some regions improved, such as Junagadh.
"I do not believe that the results are completely disappointing. But we should concentrate on bolstering our organization," Gohil conceded, suggesting possible changes in the state unit of the party.
The BJP’s performance was particularly significant as it managed to wrest control of several municipalities from the Congress, further cementing its dominance in Gujarat’s political landscape.
The Congress, which once held influence in multiple regions, managed to win only one municipality—Salaya in Devbhumi Dwarka district. The party’s decline was stark, considering it had secured 14 municipalities in the 2018 elections.
In a shocking turn of events, the Samajwadi Party (SP) won two municipalities—Kutiyana and Ranavav in Porbandar district. These victories were led by SP's sole Gujarat MLA, Kandhal Jadeja, who had defected from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to the SP before the 2022 Assembly elections.
The BJP emerged victorious in 48 out of 60 seats in the 15 wards of the Junagadh Municipal Corporation (JMC) polls, with the Congress getting 11. There was one independent victory as well.
In total, out of 68 municipalities, the BJP bagged 60, the Congress got a mere one, the SP took two, while five—Mangrol, Dakor, Anklav, Chhotaudepur, and Bavla—saw no decisive victory.
This election was the first local body elections after the Gujarat government in 2023 announced a 27% reservation of seats in panchayats, municipalities, and civic corporations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Though it is yet to be known whether this policy influenced the preferences of voters, the BJP's resounding win is an indicator that its support base was least disturbed by the alterations.
While the BJP was hailing its overwhelming victory, the Congress was trying its best to maintain its sheen. The party could manage this only in the Salaya Assembly constituency. Here, it had won 15 out of a total of 28 seats and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had put on a valiant performance by managing 13 seats in the city's predominantly Muslim constituency.
The State Election Commission (SEC) stated 213 seats were unopposed, and BJP candidates were set to win unopposed following the withdrawal of their opponents.
The BJP saw these unopposed wins as yet more evidence of its sweeping popularity throughout the state. It also said it was set to gain control of municipalities like Bhachau, Jafrabad, Bantva, and Halol as the number of unopposed seats was so high in those jurisdictions.
