Following the disastrous performance of the Congress in elections to local bodies, party’s Gujarat unit president Amit Chavda and opposition leader in the state assembly Paresh Dhanani tendered their resignations on Tuesday.
In the elections to 31 district panchayats, 231 taluka panchayats and 81 municipalities, the party suffered a total rout.
Sources in the know of the development told THE WEEK that the resignations of both Chavda and Dhanani have been accepted. However, officially, it could not be confirmed.
It is said that they have been asked to continue till the next arrangement is made. Currently, Gujarat state assembly’s budget session is on.
While the final result is awaited, the ruling BJP was leading in all the 31 district panchayats, 196 of the 231 taluka panchayats and 75 out of the 81 municipalities.
In the last elections, the Congress had captured majority of the local bodies, following Patidar quota stir.
The BJP’s victory is credited to the efforts of state party president C.R. Patil and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah took to social media to congratulate the party leaders and workers and, thank the electorate.
Last week, the Congress had suffered a drubbing at the hands of the BJP in elections to six municipal corporations.
Gujarat Congress working president Hardik Patel took to social media and said that the party would take to the streets in the coming days and win the confidence of the masses. While congratulating the winners, he said that there is no need for the candidates, who lost, to get dejected.
Chavda said that the results were contrary to their expectations and that they would win the confidence of the masses.
Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM captured nine out of the 12 seats in Modasa municipality. Earlier, in its debut in Gujarat politics, AIMIM had won seven seats in Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.
