Summary:
Ahmedabad, Oct 5 (PTI) The ruling BJP in Gujarat on Tuesday retained the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) with an absolute majority for the first time and also registered victory in two other local bodies while the opposition Congress snatched the Bhanvad municipality in Devbhumi-Dwarka district from the saffron party which was in power in this local body since 1995.
This is for the first time in a decade that the BJP scored an absolute majority since the formation of the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation in 2011.
As per the final tally released by the State Election Commission (SEC), out of the total 44 seats in the GMC, the BJP won 41 seats, the Congress two and the AAP bagged one seat.
The GMC poll was being seen as a litmus test for the BJP in the backdrop of its sudden and surprising decision to change the Gujarat chief minister and the entire cabinet recently, ahead of the Assembly polls due next year.
Gandhinagar is part of the Lok Sabha constituency of Union Home Minister and BJP heavyweight Amit Shah.
In the first election to the GMC in 2011, when Narendra Modi was Chief Minister of Gujarat, the Congress came to power with 18 seats relegating the BJP, which had won 15 seats, to the second position.