BJP up at 123 in Gujarat assembly, Keshubhai’s son among three party candidates who lost

Ahmedabad, 16 May, 2014

Along with the Lok Sabha general elections, Gujarat also witnessed assembly by-polls. Out of seven seats that went for by-poll, BJP candidates are victorious on four seats while Congress has won 3 seats.

The seats won by BJP candidates are Somnath(Jasha Barad), Lathi(Bavku Undhad), Rapar(Pankaj Mehta) and Himmatnagar(Rajendrasinh Chavda). Of these four, three seats Somnath, Lathi and Himmatnagar were earlier with Congress. The BJP has snatched away these seats from Congress.

With this, BJP’s tally in 182-member Gujarat assembly has reached 123 mark. Through different by-polls BJP has increased its seats from 115 to 123 since December 2012 general elections.

Three seats BJP couldn’t win:

BJP lost Visavdar seat where former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel’s son Bharat Patel was a candidate. The seat was vacated by Keshubhai for his son. Keshubhai won this seat in year 2012 general elections on Gujarat Parivartan Party’s banner. (Read: Zadafia rushes to help Bharat)

BJP also couldn’t win Abdasa seat which was with Congress in last election. Congress’s Shaktisinh Gohil won by margin of 757 votes against BJP candidate Chhabilbhai Patel. Chhabilbhai was Congress candidate in the last election on this seat but resigned and joined BJP. His resignation invited by-poll in which he became a BJP candidate but lost. (The story of Shaktisinh Gohil’s victory on Abdasa seat)

Another seat BJP couldn’t win is Mandvi. This seat was with Congress earlier, but Congress MLA resigned to join BJP and contested Lok Sabha poll on BJP ticket. On his vacated assembly seat, BJP fielded a woman candidate who lost.