Gujarat's Local Body Elections: A Multi-Party Scramble

The local body elections in Gujarat see fierce competition, mainly involving the BJP, Congress, and AAP, with additional contestants like NCP and AIMIM. Candidates rushed to file nominations by the deadline. The elections span 34 district panchayats, 260 taluka panchayats, 84 municipalities, and 15 municipal corporations.

On the last day of filing nominations for Gujarat's local body elections scheduled for April 26, a flurry of activity was recorded as candidates rushed to meet the deadline. The elections are poised to be primarily contested by BJP, Congress, and AAP, with additional challenges from NCP and AIMIM.

According to the State Election Commission's schedule, scrutiny of nominations will occur on April 13, with candidates eligible to withdraw by April 15, ahead of the vote counting on April 28. Notable figures in the fray include former IPS officer M L Ninama, who represents BJP, former radio jockey Abha Desai from the Congress, and former AAP MLA Bhupendra Bhayani.

The polls present one of Gujarat's largest electoral exercises, with voting across 34 district panchayats, 260 taluka panchayats, 84 municipalities, and 15 municipal corporations, including key cities like Ahmedabad and Surat. Over 4.18 crore voters across 9,992 seats will cast their ballots under new norms for OBC reservations, with the election process concluding by April 30.