Jasdan byelection: BJP's Kunvarji Bavalia wins by over 19,000 votes

AHMEDABAD: Congress turncoat Kunwarji Bavaliya retained his supremacy on the traditional Jasdan assembly constituency by defeating his former campaign manager Avsar Nakia by a margin of 19,979 votes in the byelection held for this seat on December 20.

The school teacher-turned politician, who was immediately gifted a Cabinet minister berth when he switched loyalty to BJP in July this year, polled in 90,262 votes as against Nakia who got 70,283 votes. This was 10,000 votes more than what he had polled in December 2017 assembly elections.

With Bavaliya’s victory, BJP reached the three-figure mark of 100 seats in the 181-member state assembly. It was way back in 2009 that BJP had won this seat, that too in a bypoll.

Bavaliya’s joining the BJP had necessitated the bypolls for Jasdan, a constituency dominated by the Koli community.

Bavaliya’s victory came as a big relief to the BJP which was visibly jittery after Congress had roped in Nakia who had been managing the former’s election campaign for years. The bypoll was held in the backdrop of severe agrarian distress across Saurashtra due to deficient rainfall, which has resulted in at least 19 farmers committing suicide.

Bavaliya has been a five-time MLA from Jasdan[D1] and is presently the minister for water resources in the Rupani government.

Bavaliya’s victory set off huge celebrations led by the BJP workers in the town.

Bavalia is a Koli leader and BJP is expecting that the party will get benefit of Bavalia’s image on Koli voters in Gujarat’s Rajkot, Surendrangar, Bhavanagar and Gir Somnath district in 2019 general election where Koli voters are decisive in some pockets.