The BJP has won the biggest-ever win in local body elections in Gujarat on course to sweep all 15 municipal corporations in the state. Of the 493 seats declared so far across the 1,044 seats at stake in municipal corporation elections, the BJP has won 467 at the time of this article going live. The Congress has managed 22. Others account for four.
The scale of the mandate is difficult to ignore. Yet, beneath the sweep, the opposition has drawn blood in places that matter.
The Dominant Picture
In Navsari, the BJP left little room for anyone else — 50 seats out of 52. The Congress held on to two.
Ahmedabad is still counting. But with 95 of the first 104 seats going to the BJP, the direction is clear. The Congress is at nine.
Nine of the 15 municipal corporations were voting for the very first time — Navsari, Morbi and Porbandar among them. Fresh elections meant fresh boundaries. Revised OBC reservation norms had triggered a redrawing of wards before a single vote was cast.
Where the Congress Fought Back
In Navsari, the Congress was barely allowed in the door. The BJP took 50 seats. The Congress got two.
Ahmedabad is still counting. But 95 of the first 104 seats have gone the BJP’s way. The Congress is watching from a distance, at nine.
For nine of these 15 corporations, this was a first election ever — Navsari, Morbi and
Porbandar among them. Before campaigning could even begin, the maps had to be redrawn. Revised OBC reservation norms meant new ward boundaries, new arithmetic, new contests.
AAP Makes Its Mark
The Aam Aadmi Party opened its account with wins in Bagsara and Halwad. It is a modest entry, but a foothold nonetheless in an electoral landscape the party has been trying to crack.
Scuffle in Surat
Tensions briefly flared at a counting centre in Surat after a BJP candidate was declared winner in Ward 18. A scuffle broke out between BJP and Congress workers. Security personnel intervened and brought the situation under control.
The Turnout Story
The elections covered nearly 9,200 seats across 15 municipal corporations, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats and 260 taluka panchayats. Over 4.18 crore voters were eligible to vote.
Turnout varied across civic bodies. Municipal corporations recorded 55.1 per cent polling. Municipalities saw 65.53 per cent.
District panchayats logged 66.64 per cent, and taluka panchayats 67.26 per cent.
Among major urban centres, Gandhidham in Kutch recorded the lowest turnout at 46.03 per cent. Vapi in Valsad district recorded the highest at 72.29 per cent. Ahmedabad logged 51.81 per cent.
In Ahmedabad, that figure carries a specific context. The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls appears to have influenced the turnout percentage sharply. In 2021, 19.65 lakh votes were cast from a voter base of 46.24 lakh, a turnout of 42.51 per cent. In 2026, the number of votes cast rose only marginally to 19.69 lakh (just 3,172 more voters).
Yet turnout climbed to 51.81 per cent. The voter list was shorter. According to reports, 8.24 lakh names had been dropped since 2021. Fewer people on the rolls, roughly the same number showing up. The percentage, naturally, rose.
It was, by that measure, the best turnout Ahmedabad has seen in four election cycles, better than 2010, 2015 and 2021.
The day itself passed without incident, for the most part. One booth in Surendranagar had to vote twice, an EVM glitch had cut short polling the first time around.
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ujarat Local Body Results: BJP Set For Emphatic Win, Congress Holds On In Pockets
The BJP is headed for one of its biggest-ever win in local body elections, on course to sweep all 15 municipal corporations in the state. Of the 493 seats declared so far across the 1,044 seats at stake in municipal corporation elections, the BJP has won 467 at the time of this article going live. The Congress has managed 22. Others account for four.
The scale of the mandate is difficult to ignore. Yet, beneath the sweep, the opposition has drawn blood in places that matter.
The Dominant Picture
In Navsari, the BJP left little room for anyone else — 50 seats out of 52. The Congress held on to two.
Ahmedabad is still counting. But with 95 of the first 104 seats going to the BJP, the direction is clear. The Congress is at nine.
Nine of the 15 municipal corporations were voting for the very first time — Navsari, Morbi and Porbandar among them. Fresh elections meant fresh boundaries. Revised OBC reservation norms had triggered a redrawing of wards before a single vote was cast.
Where the Congress Fought Back
In Navsari, the Congress was barely allowed in the door. The BJP took 50 seats. The Congress got two.
Ahmedabad is still counting. But 95 of the first 104 seats have gone the BJP’s way. The Congress is watching from a distance, at nine.
For nine of these 15 corporations, this was a first election ever — Navsari, Morbi and
Porbandar among them. Before campaigning could even begin, the maps had to be redrawn. Revised OBC reservation norms meant new ward boundaries, new arithmetic, new contests.
AAP Makes Its Mark
The Aam Aadmi Party opened its account with wins in Bagsara and Halwad. It is a modest entry, but a foothold nonetheless in an electoral landscape the party has been trying to crack.
Scuffle in Surat
Tensions briefly flared at a counting centre in Surat after a BJP candidate was declared winner in Ward 18. A scuffle broke out between BJP and Congress workers. Security personnel intervened and brought the situation under control.
The Turnout Story
The elections covered nearly 9,200 seats across 15 municipal corporations, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats and 260 taluka panchayats. Over 4.18 crore voters were eligible to vote.
Turnout varied across civic bodies. Municipal corporations recorded 55.1 per cent polling. Municipalities saw 65.53 per cent.
District panchayats logged 66.64 per cent, and taluka panchayats 67.26 per cent.
Among major urban centres, Gandhidham in Kutch recorded the lowest turnout at 46.03 per cent. Vapi in Valsad district recorded the highest at 72.29 per cent. Ahmedabad logged 51.81 per cent.
In Ahmedabad, that figure carries a specific context. The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls appears to have influenced the turnout percentage sharply. In 2021, 19.65 lakh votes were cast from a voter base of 46.24 lakh, a turnout of 42.51 per cent. In 2026, the number of votes cast rose only marginally to 19.69 lakh (just 3,172 more voters).
Yet turnout climbed to 51.81 per cent. The voter list was shorter. According to reports, 8.24 lakh names had been dropped since 2021. Fewer people on the rolls, roughly the same number showing up. The percentage, naturally, rose.
It was, by that measure, the best turnout Ahmedabad has seen in four election cycles, better than 2010, 2015 and 2021.
The day itself passed without incident, for the most part. One booth in Surendranagar had to vote twice, an EVM glitch had cut short polling the first time around.
Also Read: BJP Gujarat Reshuffle Is Their Pre Poll Strategy https://www.vibesofindia.com/bjp-cabinet-expansion-in-gujarat/
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