BJP wins Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation election, Nadda thanks people of Gujarat

The ruling BJP on Tuesday retained Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation, while the Congress took away Bhanvad municipality in Devbhumi-Dwarka district. Out of total 44 seats in the GMC, the BJP won 41, the Congress two and AAP bagged one.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Jagat Prakash Nadda on Tuesday thanked the people of Gujarat for the party's victory in Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) elections. He also congratulated chief minister Bhupendra Patel and Gujarat BJP chief CR Paatil along with party workers.

Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel and state BJP president CR Paatil show victory sign after winning the party's victory in Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation election on Tuesday.(PTI Photo)

"The BJP has got a huge majority in the Gujarat local body elections and Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation elections. I thank the people of Gujarat for their continued support and blessings and congratulate chief minister @Bhupendrapbjp, state unit president @CRPaatil and party workers for the unprecedented victory," Nadda said on Twitter.

The ruling BJP on Tuesday retained the GMC and won in two other civic bodies in Gujarat, while the Congress took away Bhanvad municipality in Devbhumi-Dwarka district.

Though the contest this year was three-pronged after the entry of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the BJP established its lead in the GMC since the beginning of counting at 9am, and eventually trumped Congress and AAP by a huge margin.

As per the final tally released by the State Election Commission (SEC), out of total 44 seats in the GMC, the BJP won 41 seats, the Congress two and the AAP bagged one seat.

Counting of votes was also held for three other municipalities - Okha and Bhanvad in Devbhumi-Dwarka district, and Thara municipality of Banaskantha district. As per the final figures released by the SEC after counting of votes, the BJP won 20 out of 24 seats in Thara, while the Congress got only four seats. The BJP retained Okha municipality by winning 34 out of 36 seats, while two seats went to the Congress.

However, in a setback to the BJP, the Congress emerged victorious in Bhanvad by winning 16 out of 24 seats. The BJP, which managed to win only eight seats this time, was in power in Bhanvad since 1995.

This was the first major election after Patel took charge as the chief minister of Gujarat and a test for the BJP's abrupt and surprising decision to change the entire government, ahead of the state Assembly polls due next year. It had registered a thumping win in the local bodies polls held in February.

The BJP, with Vijay Rupani as CM, had swept six municipal corporations, municipalities and a majority of district and taluka panchayats.

Voting for elections to the GMC and the three other municipalities took place on Sunday.