Gujarat Municipal Election: BJP gears up for celebrations as trends indicate clean sweep

The BJP is leading on 60 seats while the Congress is ahead in 12, latest trends from counting of votes for 575 seats in six municipal corporations of Gujarat shows. The counting of votes will be held for 192 seats across 48 wards in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, for 120 seats across 30 wards in the Surat Municipal Corporation, 76 seats across 19 wards of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation, for 72 seats across 18 wards in the Rajkot Municipal Corporation, 52 seats across 13 wards in the Bhavnagar Municipal Corporation and 64 seats across 16 wards in the Jamnagar Municipal Corporation.

An average 46.1 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the elections to six municipal corporations in Gujarat, officials said on Monday. Polling was held from 7 am to 6 pm on Sunday for a total of 144 wards across six civic bodies – Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Vadodara, Bhavnagar and Jamnagar.

As per the final figures shared by the SEC of Sunday’s polling, Ahmedabad had the lowest turnout of 42.5 per cent, while Jamnagar recorded the highest turnout of 53.4 per cent. Besides, Rajkot recorded 50.7 per cent polling, Bhavnagar-49.5 per cent, Vadodara-47.8 per cent and Surat- 47.1 per cent. Of the total 1.14 crore voters registered in these six cities, 52.83 lakh cast their votes on Sunday, the release said.

Elections to six municipal corporations in Gujarat were held on Sunday amid tight security and adherence to COVID-19 norms. People started queuing up outside polling booths soon after the voting began at 7 am across various wards in the six municipal corporations in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar.

The voting continued till 5 pm. In the morning, elderly voters were also seen at various booths, where precautions have been taken to follow COVID-19 prevention norms, including use of masks and sanitisers and maintaining social distance.

Local MPs, MLAs and leaders of different political parties also arrived at various polling booths in the morning to vote. Among those who cast their votes in the initial hours were BJP MP Kirit Solanki and party MLA Rakesh Shah.

Solanki voted at a booth in Ranip area of Ahmedabad along with his wife and family members, while Shah cast his vote at a booth in Ellisbridge area of the city. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also cast his vote at a booth in Naranpura area of Ahmedabad.

The main contest is between the BJP, which has ruled the six corporations for last several terms, and the main opposition Congress.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has claimed it would be an effective alternative to the BJP and Congress, while Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is making its debut in the local bodies polls, having fielded 21 candidates in six wards of Ahmedabad. Around 32,000 policemen have been deployed for voting in 575 seats, with each ward having four corporators, officials said.

A total of 2,276 candidates are contesting the polls in the six municipal corporations. Besides, nine candidates are also in the fray for by-elections to two seats in the Junagadh Municipal Corporation. Those contesting include 577 from the BJP, 566 from the Congress, 470 from the AAP, 91 from the NCP, 353 from other parties and 228 Independents, the officials said.

The municipal corporation elections are being seen as a test for Rupani as it may set the tone for the state Assembly polls due next year. As per the State Election Commission, there are a total of 1.14 crore voters, including 60.60 lakh men and 54.06 lakh women.