The ruling BJP in Gujarat won 47 out of 75 municipalities, down from 59 it held before the local elections, while the Opposition Congress won 16, in results announced on Monday.
Though the BJP retained its urban base in towns, winning most municipalities, it saw a decline in the total number of seats, while the Congress made some inroads. “In the elections to 75 municipalities, the BJP has won 47, the Congress 16, the NCP 1 and the BSP 1, while in 6 municipalities, no one got a majority, and Independents got 4,” State Election Commissioner Varesh Sinha said.
BJP bags 1,167 seats
In terms of total seats, the BJP has won 1,167 seats, the Congress 630, Independents 202, the NCP 28 and the BSP 15, while 18 seats have gone to other parties.
After the elections for municipalities in semi urban towns, elections will be held for two district panchayats and 17 taluka panchayats this month.
“People of Gujarat have once again reposed their faith in the BJP,” State BJP president Jitu Vaghani told media persons. He, however, denied that the Congress made inroads in urban pockets, which have been BJP bastions.
Mr. Vaghani said that in all places where the Congress won Assembly polls recently, the BJP won the municipality polls.
He gave the example of Amreli district, where the Opposition party lost municipality polls despite winning all five Assembly seats in the district.
Both the BJP and the Congress made claims regarding improving of their performance because this was for the first time in a decade that the parties contested local bodies elections on party symbols.
