The BJP had set out to better its 2002 tally of 127 seats in Gujarat, setting the target of minimum 128 seats in the 2022 Assembly elections. The party on Thursday not only bettered its own tally but also shattered the 1985 record of 149 seats, set by the Congress under Madhav Rao Solanki.
As the picture from the Gujarat election results becomes clearer, the BJP is on track to score more than 150 seats in the 182-seat Gujarat Assembly. In Himachal Pradesh, however, the party is locked in Thriller Thursday with a resurgent Congress, which is leading on 35-plus seats in the 68-seat Assembly.
As counting progresses, News18 takes a look at how some of the top candidates in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh are faring.
GUJARAT
Bhupendrabhai Patel (BJP) – Ghatlodia
Incumbent Chief Minister of Gujarat Bhupendrabhai Patel is contesting from the Ghatlodia constituency against Congress’ Ameeben Yagnik and AAP’s Vijay Patel. Born in Ahmedabad, the 60-year-old is a first-time MLA from the Ghatlodia seat. He had won his maiden seat by a margin of 1,17,000 votes in 2017, the largest margin in that election, defeating Congress candidate Shashikant Patel. It is believed that Bhupendrabhai holds strong influence in the Patidar community. The party had maintained that Bhupendrabhai would continue as Gujarat CM if the party wins the elections.
Bhupendrabhai Patel has been declared winner against Congress’ Ameeben Yagnik and AAP’s Vijay Patel.
Hardik Patel (BJP) – Viramgam
The face of the Patidar agitation who was credited with denting the BJP’s seat count in 2017, Hardik Patel is contesting his maiden Assembly election on a BJP ticket from native Viramgam. He has locked horns with sitting Congress MLA Lakhabhai Bharwad, who had defeated BJP’s Tejashree Patel in 2017 by a margin of over 6,500 votes. Viramgam Assembly segment, which comprises Viramgam, Mandal and Detroj talukas of Ahmedabad, has been with the Congress for the last 10 years.
After initial struggles, Hardik Patel has been declared winner against outgoing Congress MLA Lakhabhai Bharwad and AAP’s Amarsinh Anadaji Thakor.
Alpesh Thakor (BJP) — Gandhinagar South
Alpesh Thakor, one of the faces of the anti-BJP stir in Gujarat during the 2017 polls, joined the BJP in 2019 and is contesting from Gandhinagar South. He had won on the Congress ticket in 2017 but lost his Radhanpur seat in the subsequent bypoll in 2019. He is up against AAP’s Dolat Patel and Dr Himanshu V Patel of the Congress.
Alpesh Thakor has been declared winner against his AAP and Congress rivals in Gandhinagar South.
Rivaba Jadeja (BJP) – Jamnagar North
Cricketer Ravindra Jadeja’s wife Rivaba Jadeja is contesting from Jamnagar North against Karsanbhai Karmur of the AAP and Congress’ Bipendrasinh Chatursinh Jadeja. This is Rivaba’s first election and the BJP gave her the ticket after dropping sitting MLA Dharmendrasinh Jadeja. Rivaba’s campaign has been marred by family drama with her in-laws supporting the Congress.
Rivaba Jadeja has been declared winner against Karsanbhai Karmur and Bipendrasinh Chatursinh.
Kantibhai Amrutiya (BJP) — Morbi
Kantibhai Amrutiya, better known as Kanabhai, is a five-time former BJP MLA who was almost forgotten in political circles. He suddenly came into limelight as videos showed him jumping into the water to rescue the victims when the Morbi bridge collapsed on October 30. It is this heroic act which is believed to have landed him a ticket. Amrutiya had won from the Morbi seat in 1995, 1998, 2002, 2007 and 2012. In 2017, he lost to Congress candidate Brijesh Merja, who later joined the BJP and won by-election from Morbi to again enter the Assembly.
Kantibhai Amrutiya has been declared winner from Morbi against Congress’ Patel Jayantilal Jerajbhai and AAP’s Pankaj Kantilal Ransariya.
Jignesh Mevani (Congress) — Vadgam (SC)
Sitting MLA Jignesh Mevani is the Congress candidate from Vadgam constituency which is reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates. The Dalit leader had won from the seat in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district in 2017 as an Independent candidate. A lawyer by profession, Mevani has emerged as a fiery social and political activist as well. This time he faces the challenge of retaining the Muslim and Dalit votebanks in the face of tough competition from AAP. He is up against Manibhai Jethabhai Vaghela of the BJP and AAP’s Dalpat Bhatiya.
Jignesh Mevani is currently leading against both his rivals from BJP and AAP.
Gopal Italia (AAP) – Katargam
Gopal Italia, AAP’s Gujarat unit president, is contesting from Katargam. Italia, a leader from the influential Patidar community, played a key role in the quota agitation in 2015. He previously worked as a clerk in a government office and was removed from the job after he hurled a shoe at a Gujarat minister in 2017. Before that, he also worked as a police constable. Italia was recently in news after some of his old videos surfaced in which he purportedly mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was summoned by the National Commission for Women over his comments.
Gopal Italia is currently trailing against against BJP’s Vinodbhai Amrishbhai Mordiya, who is leading from the constituency, and Congress’ Kalpesh Harjivanbhai Variya.
Ishudan Gadhvi (AAP) – Khambhalia
Former TV anchor and journalist, Ishudan Gadhvi is the AAP chief ministerial candidate in Gujarat. He is contesting from Khambhalia in Dwarka district. Gadhvi comes from an agrarian family and in the poll conducted by AAP to decide its CM face, he got around 73% votes. Gandhvi comes from the OBC community. The seat he is contesting on is with the Congress, but the AAP calculates that his OBC credential will help blunt Congress vote share.
Ishudan Gadhvi has lost against Mulubhai Bera of the BJP, who won from the constituency. Vikram Arjanbhai Madam of the Congress also lost from here.
HIMACHAL PRADESH
Jairam Thakur (BJP) – Seraj
First-time Chief Minister and two-time MLA from Seraj constituency in Mandi, Jairam Thakur is contesting from the same seat this time. Apart from ensuring his own victory, Thakur had faced the tough task of ensuring a consecutive win for the BJP in a state known to never repeat a government.
Jairam Thakur has been declared the winner, beating AAP’s Gita Nand and Congress candidate Chet Ram.
Vikramaditya Singh (Congress) — Shimla Rural
Vikramaditya Singh, son of former chief minister and senior Congress leader Virbhadra Singh, is contesting his second election from Shimla Rural. Projected as one of Congress’ important candidates in this election, Singh entered active politics in 2013 and went on to become the state youth Congress president. He had campaigned aggressively in the Mandi bypoll and ensured the victory of his mother and Congress state president Pratibha Singh.
Vikramaditya Singh has been declared winner, beating BJP’s Ravi Kumar Mehta and AAP’s Prem Kumar.
Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu (Congress) – Nadaun
Former Himachal Pradesh Congress president Sukhwinder Sukhu represents the Nadaun constituency. The 58-year-old, who is not seen as part of the Virbhadra Singh camp, has not ruled himself out as CM contender if the Congress comes to power. He had defeated his opponent Vijay Agnihotri in 2017, but was facing a tough election this time not only from the BJP but also from BJP rebels and Independents.
Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu is currently leading against BJP candidate Vijay Kumar and AAP rival Shankey Thukral.
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