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Gandhinagar Civic Election Brings BJP, Congress and AAP Contest
People in Gandhinagar are choosing members of their city council on Sunday.
The council has 44 seats, and 130 candidates are running.
The BJP and Congress are running in every seat, while the AAP is running in 32.
Congress says it moved its candidates away from the city before nominations closed because it feared pressure to withdraw.
The BJP denies opposition accusations that it pressured candidates.
The parties have made different promises about roads, sports, schools, transport and other city services.
In the last election, the BJP won 41 of the 44 seats.
The results are expected on October 13.
Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation elections are scheduled for Sunday across 44 seats in 11 wards, with 130 candidates in the contest.
The BJP and Congress have candidates in all 44 seats, while the AAP is contesting 32.
Congress says it moved its candidates outside Gandhinagar until nominations closed and obtained affidavits pledging they would not defect; the BJP has denied opposition allegations of pressuring candidates to withdraw.
The parties have offered different civic promises, including BJP plans for roads and sports facilities, Congress proposals for youth services and AAP guarantees on schools, water and transport.
The BJP won 41 seats in 2021; results in this election are due on October 13.
- Who
- The BJP, Congress and AAP, along with 130 candidates.
- What
- Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation elections for 44 seats.
- Where
- Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
- When
- Sunday; results are due October 13.
- Why
- Voters will choose representatives to govern the municipal corporation.
Opposition parties
BJP
Candidate withdrawals
Opposition parties
Congress and AAP leaders alleged that their candidates faced pressure to withdraw; Congress said it moved its candidates away and obtained affidavits against defection.
BJP
The BJP denied allegations that it pressured candidates to withdraw.
City governance and performance
Opposition parties
Congress alleged corruption and mismanagement of roads, drainage and drinking water, while AAP leaders said surrounding villages lacked development.
BJP
The BJP cited development work and said it was confident of winning all seats; its election in-charge said Rs 7,000 crore of development work had been done against Rs 700 crore in tax collected over five years.
Plans for the city
Opposition parties
Congress promised to make Gandhinagar a “GenZ city”; AAP announced guarantees involving schools, clinics, water, transport and tax cuts.
BJP
The BJP said it would develop Gandhinagar as a “sports capital,” with proposals including roads, sports facilities, AI-based traffic signals and libraries.
Key facts
- Seats
- 44
- Wards
- 11
- Candidates
- 130
- BJP candidates
- The BJP has candidates in all 44 seats.
- Congress candidates
- Congress has candidates in all 44 seats.
- AAP candidates
- AAP has candidates in 32 seats.
- Previous election
- In 2021, the BJP won 41 of 44 seats.
- Results
- Due on October 13.
Quotes
Shaktikumar Patel
Gandhinagar city Congress president
“We have taken a Bharosa Patra (undertaking of trust) from each of our 44 candidates in the form of an affidavit, stating that they will not defect to the BJP after the election. On the basis of that, I am confident that none of our members will switch sides to the BJP.”
indianexpress.com
“We have been fighting, but the BJP has deployed every method – Saam, Daam, Dand, Bhed (persuasion, inducement, punishment, division) – to threaten candidates and force them to withdraw. (It seems) BJP is not interested in democracy, but in Hitler-shahi.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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