The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has repeated its’s electoral victory history in the 2026 Gujarat local body elections, strengthening its position in both urban and rural areas. The party won all 15 municipal corporations and secured a significant lead in district and taluka panchayats. According to the latest figures, the BJP has won at least 6,450 of the 9,200 contested seats across municipal corporations, municipalities, district panchayats, and taluka panchayats. Elections were held for 9,200 seats, with over 4.18 crore eligible voters and a voter turnout of 55.1% on April 26.
The results illustrate how invincible the BJP is in Gujarat. The Congress lagged behind, while AAP experienced the steepest fall. Despite earlier gains in 2021, AAP could not sustain its momentum, largely due to decreased support from key communities, internal disputes, leadership controversies and corruption allegations. Attitude of its’ leaders is being cited as the primary reason for AAP rout. In municipal corporations, the BJP won approximately 856 of 1,044 seats, while Congress secured 77 seats. Other parties, including AAP, had minimal representation. These figures are as of 9 pm when this report was filed.
Ahmedabad, Gujarat’s largest municipal corporation, remained under BJP control, with the party winning 160 of 192 seats across 48 wards. Congress increased its total to 32 seats, eight more than in 2021, because of seven seats lost by AIMIM and one by an Independent candidate. Notably, Congress won Khadia for the first time, breaking a long-standing BJP stronghold. Khadia had been the epicentre of Right wing politics from RSS to Janasangh, Bajrang Dal, VHP and BJP since independence. It was here that BJP was born in Gujarat. But much before that, even when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel became Ahmedabad’s first mayor in 1935 also, this area had shown some resistance. The movement for statehood for Gujarat, separation from Mumbai also had stemmed from this area which had culminated in Gujarat becoming an independent state in 1960. This year, BJP’s Bhushan Ashok Bhatt’s campaign slogan was “We will not let Khadia become Pakistan”. Khadia borders Kalupur which has sizeable Muslim population. This is the first time Congress has won Khadia ward.
In Surat, the BJP achieved a near-clean sweep, winning 115 of 120 seats. The AAP, which had stunned observers by winning 27 seats in 2021, struggled to win even six seats this time. AAP had won four seats when this report was filed. Congress managed to secure only one seat. However, it had not won any seat in 2921. In the newly formed municipal corporations of Porbandar-Chhaya and Morbi, the BJP won all 52 seats, and also swept all seats in Nadiad. Porbandar is the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi.
Across municipalities, the BJP won 1,791 of 2,030 seats. In rural Gujarat, it led district and taluka panchayat races by wide margins. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Gujaratis had once again endorsed the BJP’s model of “good governance” and credited party workers for maintaining deep grassroots connections. He thanked voters of Gujarat and said BJP would continue to serve Gujarat.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said voters had chosen “positive politics,” while Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi called it the party’s “biggest-ever victory” in local body elections. Celebrations took place at the BJP headquarters, Kamalam, in Gandhinagar, as party workers marked another decisive mandate.
BJP’s effective election management contributed to the party’s victory. The panna pramukh system, in which each party worker manages a single page of the electoral roll, or about 30 voters, operates efficiently in Gujarat. According to a BJP leader, “even if a Gujarati complains about us, they end up voting for the BJP only.” Interestingly, BJP contests even local body elections on the name of PM Modi which the party believes contributes immensely in their victory.
Nine new municipal corporations were added in these elections: Anand, Karamsad, Gandhidham, Mehsana, Morbi, Nadiad, Navsari, Porbandar Chhaya, Surendranagar Wadhwan, and Vapi. The BJP won all of them.
While Congress has nearly disappeared in Gujarat, AAP’s trajectory represents one of the most rapid rises and declines in recent state politics. AAP made a strong debut in the 2021 Surat Municipal Corporation elections, winning a significant number of seats and becoming the main opposition, which indicated voter interest in alternative political options.
AAP’s electoral support was primarily a protest vote in 2021. Discontented diamond workers and textile traders, frustrated with the BJP over economic issues, fuelled its gains. As the BJP addressed those concerns, AAP’s base eroded. In this election, AAP won only four seats in Surat hampered by internal conflict, leadership issues, and corruption allegations. AAP leaders’ arrogance and attitude issues of their state leaders have been cited as reasons.
In 2021, AIMIM won seven seats in Ahmedabad’s Muslim-majority Jamalpur and Maktampura wards, but this time secured only one seat in Bhuj Municipality in Kutch. AIMIM and AAP further divided Congress’s vote bank, yet Congress’s organisational weaknesses persist. Despite occasional gains, the combined seats of Congress, AAP, and AIMIM remain far below the BJP’s total. The most notable BJP defeat has been of IPS turned politician Manoj Ninama. He lost to a local Congress leader by over 2400 votes. Ninama became a talking point after he sought voluntary retirement. Contradictory to IAS officer of AMUT cadre Kannan Gopinathan who is fighting for his resignation approval from Centre since six and half years, Manoj Ninama’s https://www.vibesofindia.com/gujarat-khaki-to-kesari-ips-politics-pipeline/resignation was accepted, he was relieved and even offered a BJP ticket from Odh in Shamlaji Taluka of Arvalli district within 72 hours. He however lost to Congress’ Suresh Ninama, a former Sarpanch and a strongly rooted local leader.
Also Read: Cancelled Votes Cast Shadow Over Gujarat Election Marginshttps://www.vibesofindia.com/cancelled-votes-cast-shadow-over-gujarat-election-margins/
