Gujarat: 56.24 pc voting in Gandhinagar civic polls; results on Tue

The final voting figure in the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation polls in Gujarat that was held on Sunday, results of which would be declared on Tuesday, stood at 56.24 per cent, an official said.

He said voter turnout remained equally subdued in Okha and Bhanvad, both in Devbhumi Dwarka district, at 55.07 and 62.27 per cent, respectively, while Thara in Banaskantha district recorded an impressive 73.55 per cent turnout.

The turnout in by-elections to three seats in two municipal corporations of Ahmedabad and Junagadh and seats in municipalities and district panchayats, which were also held on Sunday, also remained low at 27.20, 47.99 and 57.08 per cent, respectively, the official added.

By-election to seats in taluka panchayats recorded an average turnout of 72.64 percent, the state election commission said.

The fight is a three-cornered one with the AAP putting in a concerted effort apart from traditional rivals BJP and Congress.

These polls have been held after the ruling BJP removed Vijay Rupani from the chief minister's post and gave Bhupendra Patel charge of the top seat recently.

It is being seen as a litmus test for the party's abrupt and surprising decision to change the entire government, as it had registered a thumping win in the local bodies polls held in February.

The BJP, with Rupani as CM, had swept six municipal corporations, municipalities and a majority of district and taluka panchayats.

A total 161 candidates contested in Gandhinagar, with the BJP and Congress fighting from all 44 seats and the AAP from 40.

For 78 seats in three municipalities, 205 candidates were in the fray, including 78 from BJP, 72 from Congress, and 52 from AAP.

As many as 24 candidates contested for eight seats vacant in district panchayat bodies, with BJP and Congress fighting from all eight and AAP seven.

For by-elections to 43 seats in taluka panchayats, 123 candidates contested, including 43 from BJP and Congress, and 28 from AAP.