Gandhinagar: Polling for regular election of Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) will take place on Sunday, October 3rd.

The first election of Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) was held in year 2011 in which both BJP and Congress had won 15 seats each. However counting of ward number three was pending. As Congress won all three seats in this ward, Congress was declared victorious. In this election, Congress had got 44.20 per cent vote share while BJP had achieved 44.93 per cent vote share, higher than Congress.

Later in year 2016, the capital town again witnessed civic poll with new delimitation in effect. Out of 32 seats that went for polling, both BJP and Congress won 16 seats each. Congress had won 2.47 per cent more vote share compared to BJP. While BJP had got 44.76 per cent votes, Congress had got 46.93 per cent vote share.

GMC is one such body where all three elections have new delimitation in effect. In 2011, 11 wards were created with three seats each in each wards and therefore total 33 seats. BJP had got 15 and Congress had got 18 seats. In subsequent GMC election in 2016, 50 per cent reservation for women and four seats per ward came to effect following which there were 8 wards and 32 seats. BJP and Congress each had got 16 seats. In 2021, GMC election is again with new delimitation and voting is going to take place for 44 seats in 11 wards.

Though GMC is urban body, 24 out of 44 seats have rural domination. Total 18 villages have been added to GMC limits lastly. Ward one includes sector 25-26 but also the area of Randheja village. Ward seen covers Kolvada and Vavol villages. Ward nine covers sector-2-3 and also Infocity and Kudasan voters. Ward 10 covers sectors 6-7-8 and also Randesan, Raysan, Kudasan and Koba voters. Ward 11 covers Khoraj, Zundal, Amiyapur, Sughad, Nabhoi, Bhat and Koteshwar areas.

The entry of Aam Admi Party (AAP) in poll fray is seen as an interesting new element this year in context with AAP campaign which was also joined by Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi. At the juncture when Congress is by-and-large not so aggressive and active in the State, it has to be seen what size of share of Congress voters is snatched by AAP in GMC results that are scheduled to be out on October 5. DeshGujarat