The Congress and BJP won a district panchayat each, while eight taluka panchayats went to the Congress and seven to the ruling party across three districts of Gujarat in the elections held two days ago. Polling for two district panchayats and 17 taluka panchayats in Banaskantha, Gandhinagar and Kheda districts was held on February 21. After the counting of votes ended, the Gujarat State Election Commission announced that the BJP won the Kheda district panchayat, while the Congress won the Banaskantha district panchayat. Of the 17 taluka panchayats which went to polls, seven went to the BJP, eight went to the Congress while two panchayats saw a tie, said a release by the SEC.
In Banaskantha, BJP won Deesa, Dhanera, Amirgadh, Tharad, Vaav and Suigam taluka panchayats, while Kathlal taluka panchayat in Kheda also went to the ruling party. The Congress won Palanpur, Bhabhar, Danta, Kankrej, Dantiwada and Vadgam taluka panchayats in Banaskantha, the lone Gandhinagar taluka panchayat, and the Kapdvanj panchayat in Kheda district. Deodar and Lakhani taluka panchayats of Banaskantha saw a tie as both the parties gained equal number of seats.
Gujarat Congress president Bharatsinh Solanki termed the results as a blow to the BJP. “These results are encouraging for us and a blow to the BJP. Both Kheda and Banaskantha district panchayats were held by the BJP. But now we have snatched away Banaskantha, the largest district panchayat in the state, from the ruling party,” said Solanki. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani pointed out that the BJP won more seats than the Congress. “I thank the people of all these local bodies for making BJP victorious. We have got more seats as well as votes than the Congress in rural areas,” said Rupani.
