The ruling BJP in Gujarat on Monday retained its hold over majority of the 75 municipalities, polling for which was held on February 17. Their numbers, however, decreased.
The municipalities are spread in 22 out of the 33 districts.
The results indicate that the electorate maintained the mood shown in December 2017 assembly elections, which the BJP won, but its tally stood at only 99 seats in the 182-member assembly.
In three municipalities there was a tie between the opposition Congress and the BJP. Six semi-urban bodies went to independents and others.
Out of the 59 municipalities controlled by the BJP in 2013, it managed to win only 44 this time. Congress, on the other hands, increased its number from six to 22.
After state BJP president and MLA Jitubhai Vaghani challenged the Congress to release details about the numbers of municipalities it has captured, the Congress released the list.
Among the important victories for the BJP include the win in Vadnagar municipality in 27 out of the 28 seats.
A major embarrassment for the opposition Congress was in Amreli district from where leader of opposition Paresh Dhanani hails. The BJP won three out of the four municipalities. In December 2017 assembly elections, the Congress had won all the assembly seats in the district.
Another setback for the Congress was in Chhotaudepur municipality, a tribal belt. Here, Sangram and Manju, son and wife respectively, of former Congress Union minister Narayan Rathwa lost.