BJP emerges stronger in Gujarat, Congress bags Himachal

New Delhi | Updated: 08 December, 2022 9:55 am IST
BJP workers celebrate the party's historic victory in Gujarat, at the party headquarters in New Delhi. (TNI photo by Amit Rawat)

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was heading to a historic victory with more than 150 seats in Gujarat while rival Congress was poised to snath the reign of Himachal Pradesh from the saffron party in early trends on Thursday.

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI) data, the BJP won seven seats and was leading in another 151 constituencies in Gujarat while the Congress, which won 77 seats in the 2017 assembly polls, was leading at a meagre 16 seats.

Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel won his Ghatlodia constituency in Ahmedabad by more than 1.3 lakh votes, around 16,000 votes more than his 2017 tally.

The majority mark in the 182-member Gujarat Legislative Assembly is 92.

CM Patel will take oath in the presence of PM Modi and other senior party leaders on December 12, announced Gujarat BJP state president CR Patil.

Addressing a press conference at state BJP headquarters in Ahmedabad, CM Patel gave credit to PM Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah’s leadership for the party’s landslide victory in the western border state.

“PM Modi had said that the people of Gujarat had decided to continue development in Gujarat under the BJP rule. People have reposed their faith in PM Modi and the politics of development. We humbly accept the public mandate to nationalists,” the chief minister said.

Cricketer Ravindra Jadeja’s wife Rivaba has won the Jamnagar North constituency.

Meanwhile, Congress was heading to a comfortable victory in Himachal Pradesh, a state traditionally known for changing the government every fifth year.

In the 68-member Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, the Grand Old Party registered victory in four segments and was leading in 36 constituencies. The half-way mark in the hill state is 34.

Himachal Pradesh chief minister emerged victorious from his Siraj constituency.

Congress has not announced the name of its chief ministerial candidate for Himachal Pradesh. However, former CM Virbhadra Singh’s wife Pratibha has emerged as the frontrunner for the top job.

“Of course, we would like to see my mother as the new chief minister of the state,” said Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh, who spearheaded the party’s campaign in the state.

Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, who is in-charge of Congress’ Himachal unit, indicated that the BJP could try to poach its newly elected legislators.

“They can do anything. We have to keep our MLAs together and united,” he told media persons.

Soon after the conclusion of the voting on December 5, exit polls had predicted BJP’s comfortable win in the home state of PM Modi while a close fight between Congress and BJP in Himachal Pradesh.

Voting was held in two phases in Gujarat on December 1 and December 5 whereas Himachal Pradesh went to polling in a single phase on November 12.

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