The Gujarat Congress, led by state party president Shaktisinh Gohil, announced on Friday that it will contest the upcoming by-elections in the Visavadar and Kadi Assembly constituencies independently, without its INDIA bloc partner, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Gohil said the decision was made unanimously after reviewing past voting patterns in the state, which typically show support swinging between the Congress and the BJP, with little room for a third party.
Gohil criticized AAP’s previous performance in Gujarat, pointing out that despite major campaign efforts, the party only secured around 10.5–11% of the vote and weakened Congress’s chances during the last election. He urged AAP to withdraw its candidates in order to avoid splitting the anti-BJP vote, asserting that Congress remains the main challenger to the ruling BJP in Gujarat. However, he affirmed that the national-level alliance between Congress and AAP under the INDIA bloc remains intact.
The Visavadar seat became vacant after former AAP MLA Bhupendra Bhayani resigned in December 2023 and joined the BJP. The Kadi seat, reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates, has remained unoccupied since the death of BJP MLA Karsan Solanki in February 2024. The Election Commission has yet to announce the bypoll dates. The Congress’s decision follows its recent AICC meeting in Gujarat, where it emphasized reclaiming political ground in a state it has not governed for three decades, while invoking the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Mahatma Gandhi.
Post Your Comments