ગુજરાતી
English
Ahmedabad, May 1, 2026
The results of the local government elections in Gujarat reveal that the BJP has emerged victorious. The vote share of both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has eroded significantly. Both parties have suffered a major defeat. The party-wise vote distribution across the four categories of local elections is as follows:
Percentage of Votes Secured
(Average)
BJP: 53.68%
Congress: 30.85%
AAP: 10.06%
Others: 5.40%
Metropolitan Municipal Corporations
BJP: 59%
Congress: 26.46%
AAP: 10.27%
Municipalities
BJP: 52.51%
Congress: 30.68%
AAP: 4.89%
District Panchayats
BJP: 52.23%
Congress: 33.7%
AAP: 12.4%
Taluka Panchayats
BJP: 51%
Congress: 32.89%
AAP: 12.67%
The opposition parties have been virtually wiped out at the grassroots level.
Generally, a city with a population exceeding 100,000 is designated as a metropolis (Municipal Corporation).
A Mystery
Elections were held across 15 municipal corporations in the state. Of these, 9 were newly constituted. All of these corporations comprise 52 seats each. Furthermore, all the new municipal corporations consist of 13 wards. This allocation was calculated based on the population census data. The BJP’s victory in these elections—despite the presence of opposition parties—has become something of a mystery.
Elections were contested for a total of 1,044 seats across the 15 municipal corporations; the BJP secured 937 seats, the Congress won 95 seats, and the Aam Aadmi Party secured 6 seats. The remaining 6 seats went to other candidates.
In the Morbi and Porbandar municipal corporations, the BJP won all 52 seats.
In Nadiad, the BJP secured 51 out of the 52 seats, while the Congress won 1 seat.
In Navsari, the BJP secured 50 out of the 52 seats. In Surendranagar, the BJP secured 51 out of 52 seats.
In Vapi, the Congress won 37 out of 52 seats, while Independents secured 4 seats. In Gandhidham, the BJP won 41 out of 52 seats, and the Congress won 11 seats.
In Anand-Karmsad, the BJP won 43 out of 52 seats, and the Congress won 8 seats.
In Mehsana, the BJP won 47 out of 52 seats, and the Congress won 5 seats.
In Ahmedabad—Gujarat’s largest city—the BJP won 160 out of 192 seats, and the Congress won 32 seats.
In Surat, out of 120 seats, the BJP won 115, the Aam Aadmi Party won 4, and the Congress won 1 seat. The Aam Aadmi Party had won 27 seats in the 2021 elections.
In Rajkot, the BJP won 65 out of 72 seats, and the Congress won 7 seats.
In Vadodara, the BJP won 69 out of 76 seats, the Congress won 6 seats, and an Independent candidate won 1 seat. In Bhavnagar, the BJP won 44 out of 52 seats, and the Congress won 8 seats. In Jamnagar, the BJP won 60 out of 64 seats, and the Congress won 2 seats; the Aam Aadmi Party secured the remaining 2 seats. Nine new municipal corporations were established when the population reached the one-lakh mark, thereby increasing the total number of corporations from 8 to 17. Injustice to 13 cities: There are 13 cities in Gujarat with populations reaching up to 1.5 lakhs; yet, they have not been accorded the status of metropolitan cities. The population of the metropolitan city of Porbandar stands at 279,245. The populations of Bharuch and Patan exceed this threshold; yet, they have not been declared metropolitan cities. This reveals the government’s discriminatory policy. Had the same rules been applied consistently, 17 metropolitan cities would have already been declared, and another 13 were slated for declaration, resulting in a total of 30 metropolitan cities. The cities facing this injustice each possess a population ranging from over 150,000 to over 300,000. Bharuch – 290,000; Patan – 283,000; Bhuj – 244,000; Veraval – 241,000; Valsad – 221,000; Godhra – 211,000; Palanpur – 184,000; Himmatnagar – 181,000; Kalol – 174,000; Botad – 169,000; Amreli – 153,000; Gondal – 145,000; Jetpur – 153,000. Urbanization: The ruling party’s strategy in the state has been to leverage urbanization as a political engine. Despite the BJP’s vast and robust network, the anticipated results witnessed on Tuesday were the culmination of a strategy—spanning over a decade—that views urbanization as a key electoral driver.
According to a rough estimate, more than 46 percent of Gujarat’s population resides in towns, cities, and urban areas. Government spokesperson Rushikesh Patel stated that, following the establishment of nine new municipalities, Gujarat’s urban population has now reached 51 percent. Furthermore, the state government anticipates that this figure will rise to 75 percent over the next two decades.
Successive elections have demonstrated that the BJP maintains dominance not only in traditional urban centers but also in peri-urban areas, in contrast to its performance in rural regions. However, amidst growing urbanization, the BJP emerged victorious in the 2022 Assembly elections, winning 156 out of 182 seats.
**Aam Aadmi Party**
In the Saurashtra region, the AAP wrested the Bagasara, Visavadar, and Bhesan Taluka Panchayats from the BJP.
The AAP won the Garudeshwar Taluka Panchayat in the Narmada district. In the Bharuch district, it secured the Valia and Netrang Taluka Panchayats.
The AAP—which had emerged as the sole opposition party in the Surat Municipal Corporation elections of 2021, defeating the Congress with 27 seats—saw its tally shrink to just 4 seats, while the Congress finally opened its account after ten years by winning a single seat.
In the first elections held following a special review in Gujarat, 7.373 million voters were excluded from the rolls.
In the polling held on Sunday, out of 41.8 million eligible voters, voter turnout stood at 55.1 percent in Municipal Corporations, 65.53 percent in Municipalities (Nagar Panchayats), 66.64 percent in District Panchayats, and 67.26 percent in Taluka Panchayats.
**8 New Districts**
During the tenures of former Chief Minister Narendra Modi and incumbent Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, 8 new districts were created, bringing the total number of districts to 34.
The number of Municipalities has risen to 149.
**First Official Announcement**
On the day of the results, the State Election Commission officially announced that no elections were held for 736 seats across the state’s local government bodies. Of these, the BJP secured victory unopposed in 721 seats. The Congress won 12 seats unopposed, while 3 independent candidates also secured victory without facing any opposition. The BJP’s share stood at 97.96 percent.
candidates won unopposed.
**Vote Share by Party**
**Municipal Corporations**
**Votes Received by Municipal Corporations**
BJP: 11,901,017
Congress: 5,305,082
Aam Aadmi Party: 2,059,332
Majlis Muslim Party: 313,475
Independent: 231,297
Bahujan Samaj Party: 88,586
Samajwadi Party: 32,690
NCP (Sharad Pawar): 24,912
NCP: 16,743
Communist Party (Marxist): 8,296
Other Parties: 66,879
**Unopposed Wins – 736 Seats**
Municipal Corporations: 43 (All BJP)
Municipalities: 385 (BJP 370, Congress 12, Independent 3)
Municipal By-elections: 4 (All BJP)
District Panchayats: 52 (All BJP)
Taluka Panchayats: 252 (All BJP)
The counting of votes for the general elections across the state’s 15 Municipal Corporations, 84 Municipalities, 34 District Panchayats, and 260 Taluka Panchayats—as well as for the by-elections held for 13 vacant seats across 11 Municipal Corporations—took place on April 28, 2026.
**Municipal Corporations**
Out of a total of 1,044 seats across 261 wards within the 15 Municipal Corporations, no election was held for 43 seats. Candidates from the Bharatiya Janata Party won all 43 of these seats.
Elections were held for the remaining 1,001 seats, of which the Bharatiya Janata Party won 894 seats, the Indian National Congress won 95 seats, the Aam Aadmi Party won 6 seats, other political parties won 4 seats, and Independent candidates won 2 seats. **Municipalities**
Out of a total of 2,624 seats across 656 wards in 84 municipalities, no election was held for 385 seats. Of these, 370 seats were won by the Bharatiya Janata Party, 12 by the Indian National Congress, and 3 by Independent candidates.
Out of the remaining 2,239 seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party won 1,618 seats; the Indian National Congress won 447; the Samajwadi Party won 5; the Bahujan Samaj Party won 3; the Aam Aadmi Party won 18; the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen won 14; other political parties won 8; and Independent candidates won 126 seats.
**Municipal By-elections**
Under the by-election process, out of a total of 13 seats across 12 wards in 11 municipalities, no election was held for 4 seats. Candidates from the Bharatiya Janata Party won these 4 seats. In the 9 seats where elections were held, Bharatiya Janata Party candidates won 6 seats, the Samajwadi Party won 2 seats, and the Aam Aadmi Party won 1 seat.
**District Panchayats**
Out of a total of 1,090 seats across 1,090 constituencies in 34 District Panchayats, 52 seats were filled without an election. Of these 52 seats, candidates from the Bharatiya Janata Party won all 52.
Elections were held for the remaining 1,038 seats; of these, Bharatiya Janata Party candidates won 840 seats, Indian National Congress candidates won 136 seats, and Independent candidates won 58 seats.
**Taluk Panchayats**
Out of a total of 5,234 seats across 5,234 constituencies in 260 Taluk Panchayats, 252 seats were filled without an election. Of these 252 seats, candidates from the Bharatiya Janata Party won all 252.
Elections were held for the seats in the remaining 4,976 constituencies. Of these, the Bharatiya Janata Party won 3,422 seats, the Indian National Congress won 1,050 seats, the Aam Aadmi Party won 407 seats, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen won 1 seat, the Bharat Adivasi Party won 2 seats, and Independent candidates won 94 seats.
**No Elections Held**
In the Kheda district, all valid candidates for the Chikhalod seat of the Fagdvel Taluka Panchayat withdrew their nominations; furthermore, as no nomination forms were submitted for two other seats, no elections were held for those specific seats.
Fresh elections will be conducted for three seats following the deaths of the valid candidates representing political parties.
**Won by Drawing Lots**
A tie occurred due to an equal number of votes on the Ghasari Maha seat of the Keshod Taluka Panchayat in Junagadh. The election result was decided by drawing lots. Since the two candidates received an identical number of votes, a ballot paper was drawn, and Yashwant Singh Raizada of the Aam Aadmi Party was declared the winner.
History was made.
**Harni Boat Tragedy**
Twelve children and two teachers lost their lives after a boat capsized in Harni Lake, Vadodara.
**Victory for the Leader Fighting for Justice**
A councilor who had defected from the BJP achieved a resounding victory. The Congress party had fielded Ashish Joshi from Ward No. 15 in Vadodara, and he secured the highest number of votes—18,664—in that ward.
**A Single Vote**
In Gir Gadhada, at Banej—located 25 kilometers deep within the dense forests of Jamwala Gir—an entire polling booth was set up to facilitate a single vote. Haridas Bapu cast his vote. Polling booths have been established specifically for a single voter since 2002.
Previously, the late Bharatdas Bapu was the sole voter residing there; however, following his passing, his disciple, Haridas Bapu, has taken up residence at the location. The Slap
Voting had concluded, and just one day prior to the counting of votes,
Chaitar Vasava—the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Dediapada—was involved in a physical altercation involving slapping over the issue of compensation for a worker who had died in a factory fire in the Bharuch district.
The incident occurred at a chemical factory where 16 workers were injured. Two of them subsequently succumbed to their injuries; one of the deceased was Rakesh Vasava.
Raju Karapada
Raju Karapada, who quit the AAP to join the BJP, won from his original seat—the Mool constituency—in the Surendranagar District Panchayat.
Bhupat
Bhupat Bhayani, who also left the AAP to join the BJP, suffered a defeat. Bhupat Bhayani—a former AAP MLA and current BJP leader who was contesting the election from the Bhesan District Panchayat seat in the Junagadh district—lost the race. He was defeated by Dilsukh Ruparelia of the Aam Aadmi Party.
Bhupat Bhayani had been elected as an MLA from Visavadar on an Aam Aadmi Party ticket during the 2022 elections; however, he later switched allegiance and joined the BJP.
Victories for Celebrities and Social Media Stars
Maya Ahir
Sonal Der—the daughter of BJP leader and *Dayara* artist Maya Ahir—lost the election for the Chavand seat in the Lathi Taluka Panchayat. The seat was won by Shantaben Der of the Congress party.
Ankita Parmar (Vadodara):
Social media star Ankita Parmar has won the Por District Panchayat seat in Vadodara.
Rajal Barot-Bambhaniya
Una:
Secured a victory.
Neha Suthar (Bijapur):
Actress and singer Neha Suthar has won the Kudeda seat in the Bijapur Taluka Panchayat.
**Shocking Defeats of Big Names**
Sonal Der (Lathi):
Sonal Der, the daughter of Maya Ahir, has lost the Chavand seat in the Lathi Taluka Panchayat.
Former IPS Officer Manoj Ninama (Shamlaji):
Former IPS officer Manoj Ninama, who resigned just two months before his scheduled retirement to join the BJP, has lost the Od seat.
Bhupat Bhayani (Bhesan): Five members of the AAP have joined the BJP.
Former MLA Bhupat Bhayani has lost the Bhesan District Panchayat seat seat.
Naina Jadeja (Rajkot):
In the Rajkot Municipal Corporation elections, Ravindra Jadeja’s sister—and the aunt of Riva Jadeja—lost the Ward No. 2 seat.
Abha Desai (Rajkot):
Defeat of RJ Abha.
Mehsana: BJP Office Peon Becomes a Corporator
**Unique Corporators**
Ramesh Bhil, who worked as a peon at the BJP district office in Mehsana for 27 years, has now been elected as a corporator from Ward No. 13 of the Mehsana Municipal Corporation.
Ramesh Bhil, who started his career with a salary of just ₹500, intends to continue his job as a peon even after becoming a corporator.
Becharaji: Bangle Seller Sanshiben Wins
BJP candidate Sanshiben Kangshiya has become a corporator from Ward No. 4 of the Becharaji Municipality. She earns her livelihood by selling bangles.
**Struggle Despite Defeat**
Ahmedabad (Shahpur Ward):
Congress candidate Ashaben Dantani, who sells toys at the Gujari Bazaar, has lost the election.
Ahmedabad (Dariyapur Ward):
BJP candidate Rinkuben Dantaniya, who makes a living by selling old clothes on the street, also failed to win the election. Godhra: A Unique Example of Communal Unity
In Ward No. 7 of Godhra city—an area with a 100% Muslim majority—Independent candidate Pakshbin Soni emerged victorious. Despite there not being a single Hindu voter in the ward, the Muslim community placed their trust in her and elected her. This victory stands as a shining example of communal harmony.
Victory from Behind Bars
In Jamnagar, two accused individuals detained under GUJCTOC (Gujarat Control of Organized Crime Act) won their elections. Amidst the BJP’s dominance in the region, the Congress party suffered a complete rout, while the AAP managed to open its account with a victory.
Police Complaint Filed
An FIR has been registered in Ahmedabad against four individuals, including a Congress candidate. A BJP worker sustained an eye injury after being assaulted at a polling station; the accused, Nikul Singh, reportedly issued a threat, warning, “I’ll deal with you later.”
Political Violence
A violent clash erupted between BJP and Congress workers during voting in the Anand district. Late at night, an executive member of the Anklav Municipality was attacked. Harshil Dave, the Congress candidate from Ward No. 13, was subjected to a life-threatening assault. The attack occurred when Dave attempted to intervene and stop BJP supporters from distributing liquor.
Uproar in Ahmedabad
A scuffle broke out during voting in the Kubernagar ward of Ahmedabad. The incident involved a physical altercation between BJP and Congress workers.
Clash in Amreli
A clash occurred between AAP and BJP workers at the Mota Ankadiya seat in Amreli. The incident arose after the BJP allegedly deployed a “duplicate” polling agent at the polling station.
The altercation between the Aam Aadmi Party and BJP workers reportedly involved a physical scuffle.
Social Media Blocked
The party lashed out at the BJP for blocking the Aam Aadmi Party’s social media pages. Arvind Kejriwal reshared a post by the AAP Gujarat President, Isudan Gadhvi, stating: “The Aam Aadmi Party’s Facebook and Instagram pages have been blocked in Gujarat. Why is this happening? Why is the BJP so scared?”
Leveling serious allegations, Isudan Gadhvi asserted that the party’s Facebook and Instagram accounts were suspended at the behest of the BJP. Meta explained the reason: “We received a legal request to ban these accounts. We reviewed it and conducted an assessment of the legal process and human rights implications.”
**Political Murder**
Miten Chaudhary—the brother-in-law of Mahendra Chaudhary, the BJP candidate for Ward No. 4 in the Mehsana Municipal Corporation elections—was murdered. The police arrested a total of six accused individuals, including the husband of Congress candidate Lilaben Chaudhary, from Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
Following a verbal altercation, Miten was subjected to a life-threatening attack involving knives and country-made pistols.
**Gondal**
Following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s victory in the municipal, taluka, and district panchayat elections in Gondal, former BJP MLA Jayraj Jadeja and sitting BJP MLA Geeta Jadeja were present at a celebratory meeting.
Mittalben Dhanani stated that by winning 44 seats, the public has reposed its faith in the BJP and the Jadeja family.
Jayraj Jadeja asserted that no one can stop them from winning the 2027 elections. He challenged anyone with the mettle to do so to step forward.
**Netrang**
No single party secured a clear majority in the Netrang Taluka Panchayat. AAP won 8 seats, the BJP won 7, and the Congress won 1 seat. The Congress candidate secured a victory in one seat following a recount.
**Central Gujarat**
This region comprises 4 municipal corporations, 11 district panchayats, 28 municipalities, and 85 taluka panchayats.
The BJP emerged victorious in 26 out of the 28 municipalities in Central Gujarat, while the Congress won in the remaining two. The Congress party suffered a complete rout in the home turf of its President, Amit Chavda. In Anand—considered a stronghold of Congress President Amit Chavda and former State President Bharatsinh Solanki—the BJP won five seats unopposed. Specifically, in Anand, the BJP won three seats in Ward No. 8 and two seats in Ward No. 9 without opposition, while also securing one seat unopposed in Umreth. The BJP has secured victories in municipalities such as Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Anand, and Nadiad.
The Congress failed to win a single seat in any of the 11 District Panchayats. Out of a total of 85 Taluka Panchayats in Central Gujarat, the BJP won in 69, the Congress won in 1, and the Aam Aadmi Party won in 6; for the remaining 9 Taluka Panchayat seats, no results were declared.
Narmada District Panchayat:
The Aam Aadmi Party has secured a majority in the Narmada District Panchayat. Out of the 22 seats, the Aam Aadmi Party…
[The party] won 15 seats, while the BJP won 7 seats. Chaitar Vasava has brought great honor to the Aam Aadmi Party. The BJP won 33 out of the 34 District Panchayat seats.
**A First**
In the Gandhinagar District Panchayat—following the communal riots of 2026—the BJP won the Bahiyal seat for the very first time since India’s independence. Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi visited the site to perform *Aarti*. Until now, the Bahiyal seat had been held exclusively by the Congress party.
**The Kadi Episode**
After 28 of the 36 seats across 9 wards in the Kadi Municipality were won uncontested, the Congress party secured victory in all 8 seats where actual voting took place. In Ward Nos. 2 and 5 of the Kadi Municipality, the entire Congress panel emerged victorious.
**Khadia**
**A Resounding Victory**
In the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation elections, the Congress panel won in the Khadia ward after a gap of 55 years.
**In Khadia:**
In Ward 1, Minaben Nayak received 20,332 votes.
In Ward 2, Birjuben Thakkar received 21,586 votes.
In Ward 3, Dhruvkumar Kalapi received 21,785 votes.
In Ward 4, Mohammed Ilyas Khan Pathan received 20,647 votes.
Out of 192 seats, the BJP won 160 seats, while the Congress won 32 seats. This time, the Congress has increased its seat tally by 8 compared to the 2021 elections.
The AIMIM failed to secure a single seat.
Work is not getting done. The condition of the heritage homes in the ‘Pols’ (traditional housing clusters) is deteriorating due to a lack of maintenance. There are persistent issues regarding water supply and sewage systems.
The Congress party’s regional in-charge for the area was Jagat Shukla.
In the event of a fire, fire brigade vehicles are unable to access the area.
**Rajkot – Jungleshwar**
The BJP suffered a defeat in Ward Nos. 15 and 16 (Jungleshwar) of the Rajkot Municipal Corporation. …where thousands of homes were demolished. The BJP won 72 seats out of the 18 wards in Rajkot city, successfully retaining power in the city for the fourth consecutive term.
**Elections in Vadodara: Contested in the Name of the Deceased**
In Padra, Vadodara, a man holds a photograph of his late brother in his hands. Deepak Raval won the election from Ward No. 5 of the Padra Municipality, fulfilling the dying wish of his deceased brother.
His brother had passed away in an accident.
**Shattering Defeat for AAP in Surat**
In Surat, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had even declared its mayoral candidate. However, they suffered a defeat. The party secured even fewer seats than it did in the previous election. Approximately 15 municipal workers from AAP defected to join the BJP.
Manoj Sorathiya, who had been declared as AAP’s mayoral candidate for Surat, also faced defeat.
The party’s hope of extending its reach from Surat to the villages of Saurashtra remained unfulfilled. In 2021, the Patel community had aligned with AAP in Surat, a move that significantly benefited the party. However, after several elected representatives defected to the BJP, the voters lost their trust in the party. Consequently, their seat tally plummeted from 27 to just 4.
In the 2026 elections, out of a total of 120 seats, the BJP secured 115 seats, the Aam Aadmi Party won 4 seats, and the Congress party won a single seat. AAP, which had won 27 seats in 2021, ended up losing 23 of them.
AAP’s fortunes have taken a severe downturn. Despite conducting extensive election campaigning, the party was ultimately forced to face defeat.
Following their victory in Surat, five AAP MLAs were elected in Gujarat during the 2022 elections. Gopal Italia was elected from Visavadar in a by-election. However, in the 2022 general elections, Gopal Italia lost the contest for the Katargam Assembly seat.
At one point, Surat served as the primary headquarters for the Aam Aadmi Party. The strategic rationale behind this choice was the fact that a large population of Patidars from the Saurashtra region resides there. The party made a concerted effort to establish an identity for AAP that could rival—or even mirror—that of the BJP. Due to factors such as internal party tensions, several AAP leaders left the Aam Aadmi Party one after another. Over time, the Aam Aadmi Party’s organizational structure weakened. It proved to be nothing more than a paper tiger. Its performance deteriorated day by day. There is a shortage of active workers. People have come to believe that if they elect these candidates, the winners will simply switch parties and defect. The Aam Aadmi Party had fielded approximately 5,240 candidates. The battle was waged not only against the BJP but also against the government machinery. The BJP attempted to secure victory by utilizing the government machinery in every possible way—right from the stage of filing nomination forms. In Surat, the BJP faced opposition in several residential societies; yet, despite such resistance, they managed to secure a significant number of votes. The Aam Aadmi Party had claimed it would win between 40 and 45 seats. They relied solely on social media politics. The Aam Aadmi Party performed well in the Sabarkantha and Aravalli regions. AAP currently lacks any robust organizational structure.
AAP’s performance in the Saurashtra region was lackluster.
However, its social media team is exceptionally strong and has successfully managed to resonate with the voters. New hopes have emerged in North Gujarat.
AAP had an opportunity to emerge as a significant force in these elections, but its internal squabbles are proving detrimental to its prospects. Several AAP leaders are resigning in frustration.
Since AAP contested elections across 5,000 seats, its vote share appears high on paper; however, this support is concentrated in only a few select pockets.
AAP has secured the second position in 5,000 seats; its vote share has not diminished, but rather, it has successfully established itself as the runner-up.
Congress
Although the Congress party’s vote share has seen a slight increase recently, its organizational weakness remains a major challenge. The Congress failed to capitalize on the anti-BJP sentiment prevailing in the rural areas.
The Congress performed poorly in Anand and its surrounding regions—areas that were historically considered the strongholds of Amit Chavda and Bharatsinh Solanki. The Congress party once possessed robust sister organizations—such as doctors’ cells, lawyers’ cells, youth wings, and trade unions—and wielded significant influence within the cooperative sector; however, that strength has since vanished, and no concerted effort is currently being made to revive it. This suggests that the Congress intends to contest elections relying on the strength of its traditional organizational structures—a strength, however, that it no longer truly possesses.
The BJP had already fielded its candidates in 736 seats without facing any opposition. Consequently, it succeeded in demoralizing both the AAP and the Congress. When an opposing party’s morale is broken during an election, its…The fighting spirit has waned.
The Congress party has secured victories in Khadia (Ahmedabad) and Jungleshwar (Rajkot); however, this is insufficient to defeat the BJP in the upcoming Assembly elections. Although the Congress’s vote share has increased in the local self-government elections, it is still not enough to mount a formidable challenge against the BJP—specifically, to restrict them to 99 seats, as was the case in the 2017 Assembly elections. To achieve this, the party must significantly strengthen its organizational structure.
The “feel-good factor” generated by the creation of new municipalities has worked in the BJP’s favor; in light of this, the path to victory for the Congress remains a difficult one. Compared to 2021, the Congress party’s vote share has indeed risen in the 2026 local self-government elections. The BJP, however, resorted to intimidation tactics against opposing candidates and engaged in the misuse of power.
OBCs, tribal communities, Dalits, and minorities are placing their trust in the Congress party. Furthermore, voters previously aligned with Owaisi are now gravitating towards the Congress.
In North and Central Gujarat, the election results have taken an unexpected turn; the trends observed in the 2022 elections could potentially be replicated across the state in the 2027 Assembly elections. (Google Translation from Gujarati)
