Gujarat civic polls: Congress strong in rural areas, BJP controls municipal corporations

Counting of votes for the crucial Gujarat civic polls is underway. The polls are being seen as a litmus test for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the Patel quota stir.

Voting for six municipal corporations was held on 26 November, while for 31 district panchayats, 230 taluka panchayats and 56 municipalities was held on 29 November.

As per latest reports, the BJP has won in all six municipal corporations and Congress is moving ahead in Rural Gujarat.

Congress leader Ahmed Patel talked to media and said the results indicate that 'BJP is on its way out in Gujarat'.

My felicitations to our PCC President,Leader (CLP)&other party leaders and workers for their untiring efforts&hard work-Ahmed Patel,Congress

- ANI (@ANI_news) December 2, 2015

Also read: New record for BJP; Over 500 Muslim candidates in Gujarat civic polls

More than 1,800 candidates are in the fray for 570 seats across six municipal corporations of Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar.

Also read: CM Anandiben Patel casts her vote in Ahmedabad, civic polls underway in Gujarat

The civic polls are important for BJP as the party is apparently facing anti-incumbency sentiments in rural and semi-urban areas of the state. The Patel agitation for quotas is also likely to affect BJPs performance in the current polls.

(with inputs from ANI)