BJP’s Gujarat civic polls sweep decoded in numbers; party locks in its 5th straight term in Ahmedabad

AHMEDABAD: Amdavadis handed the BJP its fifth consecutive victory in the city’s municipal corporation election on Tuesday. The party swept 160 of 192 seats across 48 wards — the same tally it posted in 2021. Two of those seats, in Thaltej and Vasna wards, were won uncontested.The Congress, which fielded candidates in all 192 seats before five withdrew, won 32 seats — a modest improvement from 24 in 2021.In the 2021 AMC election, BJP candidates had also won 160 of the 192 seats. That year, one BJP candidate was declared elected unopposed in Naranpura ward. Congress had won 24 seats, AIMIM seven, and an Independent one in Lambha ward.Compared to 2021, the BJP neither gained nor lost seats in 2026, while Congress improved its tally by eight seats. AIMIM, which had won four seats in Jamalpur and three in Maktampura — both considered Congress strongholds — lost all seven seats this time, many of which were reclaimed by Congress.Western Ahmedabad has 18 wards with 72 seats, while the eastern part has 30 wards with 120 seats. In 2021, BJP had won 67 of 72 seats in the west, Congress two, and AIMIM three.In 2026, BJP improved its performance slightly in the west, winning 68 of 72 seats. Congress won four seats in the region, gaining two, while AIMIM lost all three of its earlier seats.In the eastern part, BJP had won 93 of 120 seats in 2021, Congress 22, AIMIM four, and an Independent one. In 2026, BJP won 92 seats, losing one, while Congress improved to 28 seats, gaining six. AIMIM and the Independent candidate lost all their seats.BJP has consistently won the AMC elections in 2005, 2010, 2015, 2021, and now 2026. Congress last held power in the corporation after the 2000 election.Following delimitation in 2007, the political dynamics of AMC shifted significantly. Seven municipalities and 30 village panchayats — including Chandkheda, Ranip, Kaligam, Thaltej, Sarkhej, Bodakdev, Vejalpur and Jodhpur — were merged into AMC, expanding the western part of the city. Later, in 2021, areas such as Bopal-Ghuma were also added.Since the 2007 expansion, BJP’s dominance has strengthened across both western and eastern Ahmedabad, while Congress’s influence declined.In the 2026 results, BJP panels won 17 of 18 wards in the west and 20 of 30 in the east. Congress won one ward in the west and seven in the east. In three wards, results were split between the two parties: in Kubernagar, both won two seats each; in Saraspur-Rakhial, BJP won three and Congress one; and in Bapunagar, BJP won three and Congress one.The ruling BJP also underlined its supremacy across Gujarat, sweeping the local body polls by winning all 15 municipal corporations and 78 of the 84 municipalities, reaffirming its dominance in urban areas.The party also performed strongly in rural regions, winning 33 of 34 district panchayats and 220 of 260 taluka panchayats.However, the opposition registered some key gains. AAP wrested the Narmada district panchayat from BJP, while Congress secured a symbolic victory in Ahmedabad’s Khadia ward — a BJP stronghold for over four decades.Across the 15 municipal corporations, BJP won 937 of the 1,044 seats, while Congress secured 95. AAP and others won six seats each. AAP’s earlier gains in Surat in 2021 — when it had won 27 seats — were largely reversed, with the party reduced to just four seats in a single ward.In municipalities, BJP won 78 of 84 bodies, while Congress won six. In comparison, in 2021, BJP had won 75 of 81 municipalities, Congress four, and others two.The BJP’s sweeping victory has also created a significant democratic gap, with 10 of the 15 municipal corporations failing to meet the mandatory 10% seat threshold required to appoint a Leader of Opposition.Morbi and Porbandar have no opposition presence at all, as BJP won every seat. In eight others — Mehsana, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Nadiad, Vadodara, Navsari and Surat — BJP crossed the 90% mark, effectively disqualifying opposition parties from claiming the LoP post.In Surat, AAP saw a dramatic collapse, dropping from 27 seats in 2021 to just four, all from Ward 17 (Puna East), including city unit president Dharmesh Bhanderi. Key leaders such as Manoj Sorathiya and former LoP Payal Sakariya lost. Congress, which had no seats in 2021, managed to win just one.AAP, however, made minor inroads in Jamnagar, winning two seats.In Rajkot, Congress improved slightly from four to seven seats, though still short of the LoP mark. In Vadodara, it lost one seat, while in Jamnagar its tally fell sharply from 11 to two.Bhavnagar Municipal Corporation mirrored its 2021 results, with BJP retaining 44 seats and Congress eight.Vapi Municipal Corporation presented a relatively competitive picture, with BJP winning 37 of 52 seats, Congress 11, and the Adivasi Sena Party four.Vapi, Gandhidham, Bhavnagar and Karamsad-Anand are the only municipal corporations where the seat requirement for a Leader of Opposition has been met.Focus now on mayor, standing committeeWith BJP retaining control of AMC, attention has shifted to key posts. Names doing the rounds for mayor include Hitesh Barot (Thaltej), former AMTS chairman Dharamshi Desai (Bodakdev), and Jashubhai Thakor (Shahibaug).For the standing committee, names being discussed include Paresh Patel (Vastral), Devang Dani (Bodakdev), Kenat Patel (Gota), and Pravin Patel (Ghatlodia).