BJP has retained the Manjalpur Assembly seat in Gujarat's Vadodara district after its candidate, Satish Patel, defeated Congress nominee Bhikhabhai Rabari by a margin of more than 30,000 votes. The by-election, held on July 30, was necessitated by the death of senior BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Yogesh Patel. With the result, the BJP has further strengthened its position in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly.
According to the Election Commission, Satish Patel secured 55,481 votes, while Congress candidate Bhikhabhai Rabari received 24,851 votes, giving the BJP a winning margin of 30,630 votes after all 20 rounds of counting.
Counting began at 8 am at Bhavan's School in Vadodara's Makarpura area under tight security arrangements. The bypoll recorded a voter turnout of 37.5 per cent.
The contest was a direct fight between the BJP and the Congress, with only the two candidates in the fray. The BJP fielded former Vadodara Municipal Corporation councillor Satish Govindbhai Patel, while the Congress nominated its Gujarat vice-president and former minister Bhikhabhai Rabari.
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The by-election was held following the death of veteran BJP legislator Yogesh Patel on June 2 after a prolonged illness, leaving the Manjalpur seat vacant.
With Satish Patel's victory, the BJP's tally in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly has increased to 162 seats. The Congress now holds 12 seats, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has five MLAs. The remaining members include two Independents and one Samajwadi Party MLA.
The result further consolidates the BJP's dominance in Gujarat, where the party continues to enjoy an overwhelming majority in the state legislature.
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