Ahmedabad: The counting of votes for a majority of the elected local bodies in Gujarat will be taken up on Wednesday. While the Congress is looking to strengthen its foothold in the state, the Bharatiya Janata Party is likely to suffer some setbacks in the wake of the Patidar reservation agitation.
The results of local body polls in Gujarat will be the barometer that will determine whether the community is still a loyal BJP votebank. The Congress, which sympathised with the Patidar cause, is looking to re-establish itself even as the BJP controls almost all local government bodies.
The BJP is in power in all six municipal corporations that went to polls on November 22. Nagarpalikas or municipalities in smaller towns are too controlled by the BJP.
The BJP rules 47 of the 56 municipalities, Congress and Independents have just 6. Even 30 of the 31 district panchayats which went to the polls are with the BJP and the Congress has just one.
Of the 230 taluka panchayats which went to the polls, the BJP has 191, Congress has 37 and Independents have two.
Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, who campaigned extensively across Gujarat, did thank voters, but she does realise there could be a few problems for the BJP. "Voting percentage this time has been as good as the previous time and I want to congratulate all voters for ensuring a peaceful election," said Anandiben Patel.
Moreover, the results of the local body polls in Gujarat are bound to have a huge impact on the assembly elections in 2017.
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