Gujarat local body polls: BJP leading in 58 seats, Congress leads 8

GANDHINAGAR: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leading in 58 seats in the elections for six municipal corporations in Gujarat, while Congress has maintained a lead in eight seats, as per initial trends.

The BJP is leading Jamjodhpur, Thaltej, Vastrapur, Asarwa, Saijpur, Nava Vadaj and Navrangpura wards in the local body polls.

On the other hand, Congress is leading in Dariapur and Chandkheda wards, while the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is leading in Behrampura ward.

The six civic bodies -- Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Vadodara, Bhavnagar and Jamnagar -- were being ruled by the BJP.

The counting of votes in Gujarat local body polls that were held on Sunday, had begun at 9 am on Tuesday.

The State Election Commission (SEC) has said an average 46.08 per cent turnout was registered during voting, which was held between 7 am and 6 pm on Sunday.

Ahmedabad recorded the lowest turnout of 42.51 per cent, while Jamnagar saw the highest turnout of 53.38 per cent, followed by 50.72 per cent in Rajkot, 49.46 per cent in Bhavnagar, 47.84 per cent in Vadodara and 47.14 per cent in Surat. Of the total 1.14 crore voters registered in these major cities of Gujarat, 52.83 lakh had cast their ballots, the SEC said in a release.

Elections to 81 municipalities, 31 district panchayats and 231 taluka panchayats are scheduled on February 28.

"The results for six municipal corporations will be declared on February 23, while results of 81 municipalities, 31 district panchayats and 231 taluka panchayats results are scheduled to be declared on March 2," the SEC had said. (ANI)