Ahmedabad (National Times): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) secured a major win in Gujarat as its candidate Gopal Italia emerged victorious in the Visavadar Assembly bypoll, defeating BJP’s Kirit Patel by a significant margin. Italia garnered 65,295 votes compared to Patel’s 51,222 after 18 rounds of counting, according to data released by the Election Commission.
This win marks a significant political moment for AAP in Gujarat, especially after its recent struggles in Delhi. Visavadar, located in Junagadh district, saw a voter turnout of 56.89% in the June 19 by-election. The seat had fallen vacant in December 2023 following the resignation of former AAP MLA Bhupendra Bhayani, who defected to the BJP.
Meanwhile, in the Kadi constituency of Mehsana district, where voter turnout was 57.90%, the BJP is set to retain the seat as counting nears completion.
Reacting to the results, Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj hailed Italia’s victory as a major comeback for the party. “This is a huge win for AAP. Many had written us off after the Delhi setback, but now we are winning back-to-back, Ludhiana West in Punjab, and now Visavadar in Gujarat. It shows that Arvind Kejriwal and AAP remain strong forces in Indian politics,” he said.
The win in Visavadar is particularly significant as the BJP has not won the seat since 2007, despite its longstanding dominance across Gujarat. The Congress, which had fielded Nitin Ranpariya, finished a distant third, highlighting its continued struggles in the state.
The bypoll results reflect shifting political dynamics in Gujarat and suggest that AAP may still have ground to cover, and potential to grow, beyond its traditional strongholds.
