Isudan Gadhvi, the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) chief minister candidate for Gujarat elections, is leading in his constituency—Khambhalia. However, the AAP's state chief Gopal Italia is trailing in Katargam, according to EC data at 11am.
In Khambalia, Congress party's sitting MLA, Vikram Madam, is behind Gadhvi, while BJP's Mulubhai Bera is seen finishing third. Khambhalia emerged as one of the more high-profile seats in the Gujarat assembly elections after the AAP picked Gadhvi to this politically high-profile constituency in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. Formerly a popular television news anchor, Gadhvi chose to contest from Khambhalia where he was born and raised.
Questions were raised about Gadhvi's candidature in Khambhalia, which is dominated by the Ahir community. According to reports, only Ahir candidates have won this constituency since 1972.
If Gadhvi eventually wins Khambhalia, he would have set a new record. The BJP had won this seat in 2007 and 2012 but lost to Congress in a bypoll in 2014. The opposition party retained the seat in 2017.
The AAP put up a strong campaign against the BJP ahead of the elections. As counting proceeds on Thursday, early trends show the AAP leading in eight seats and the BJP in 150 seats. Exit polls had predicted a massive mandate for the BJP, setting the stage for a seventh term for the saffron party in the state.
-with PTI inputs
