Ahmedabad: The ruling BJP recorded a massive victory in the local body polls in Gujarat by winning a clear majority in all 31 district panchayats as well as in 196 out of 231 taluka panchayats and 74 out of 81 municipalities, similar to the results of municipal corporation polls declared last week. The skyrocketing prices of petrol and diesel, inflation and the ongoing farmers' agitation did not have any impact on the prospects of the saffron party. Rather, BJP emerged even stronger as compared to the 2015 assembly elections and it wouldn't come as a surprise if the party breaks its own record of winning 127 seats in the 1995 assembly elections under the leadership of then Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel.
Not only the saffron party's page committee strategy, Hindutva plank dwarfed other parties but national issues also played a prominent role in helping BJP emerged victorious in the local body polls in the rural areas. Besides, those who had moved away from BJP during the Patidar agitation in 2015 and gave a chance to Congress, reposed their trust in BJP. Party's spectacular show comes as a shot in the arm before the 2022 assembly elections.
As BJP headed for a massive victory, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted and said the results showed that Gujarat remains firmly with the party's agenda of development and good governance.
READ: BJP leads in majority areas in Gujarat polls
Congress loses ground
Congress suffered a humiliating defeat except for gaining some municipal seats. Taking moral responsibility for the failure of the party, state party president Amit Chavda and leader of the opposition in state assembly Paresh Dhanani tendered their resignation. If sources are to be believed, the party's high command, which was in no mood to change the state's leadership, did not go for aggressive campaigning and were rather roiled by infighting and indiscipline over the distribution of party tickets to candidates. Had Congress asked its state working President Hardik Patel, known for his mass appeal, to lead the election campaigns, the results would have been different.
AAP's political debut
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) made its political debut in south Gujarat and also managed to open its account in some rural areas, making an entry into the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. A major challenger for BJP in Surat now, AAP gained an advantage of Congress's poor performance and bagged 27 seats in Surat municipal corporation and used its 'Delhi model' to woo the voters in Gujarat. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia reiterated the party's achievements in the field of health, education, subsidies in electricity bills during their election campaigns.
"Give five years to AAP, you will forget 25 years of BJP," Kejriwal had said, promising to expose BJP's corruption and providing a clean transparent civic administration. AAP is now all set to expand its base in Gujarat and eyeing the 2022 assembly elections and has fair chances to emerge as the main opposition party in the state.
READ: 'Give AAP five years, you will forget 25 years of BJP', says Arvind Kejriwal
AIMIM’s splendid entry
Even Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM also made its presence felt and made its entry at the grassroot level in urban and rural areas. After an impressive show in the 2020 Bihar assembly elections, AIMIM won nine seats in Modasa municipality in the Aravalli district, one in Bharuch, and seven in Godhra in Panchmahal. Owaisi visited Gujarat twice and fielded Muslim candidates in the predominantly minority-dominated areas. This can be described as a grand debut entry of the party and AIMIM is bound to field its candidates in the 2022 assembly polls.
