Rajkot, July 21: In an apparent setback to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, BJP today lost elections of Junagadh Municipal Corporation (JMC) to Congress.
Out of 51 seats in JMC, Congress won 26 seats, while BJP got 21 seats, BSP bagged three and an independent candidate won. Voting for the election was held on Sunday and counting took place Tuesday.
The BJP had made this elections a prestigious issue and asked its former MP Bhavna Chikliaya, a former union minister, and former state minister ML Patel to contest the elections.
Though both leaders won from their respective wards, but the party failed to secure majority.
Junagadh city got the status of Municipal Corporation in 2003 and in the first elections held in 2004 BJP had won 35 seats, while Congress had won only 15 seats.
BJP’s in-charge of Junagadh elections Vijay Rupani accepted the party’s defeat and said, “The party will perform the role of constructive opposition in JMC and workers will work hard to strengthen the party”.
The Congress hailed its victory. “BJP has been shown the door by the people of Junagadh,” Gujarat Congress Committee president Siddarth Patel said.
–Agencies