Ahmedabad/Dehradun: In a morale-boosting
performance after the Lok Sabha defeat, the ruling BJP Monday wrested five Assembly seats from Congress in Gujarat and won
one each in Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where the party
got a majority in the state Assembly.
In Gujarat, the BJP wrested Jasdan, Chotila, Dehgam,
Danta and Sami-Hariz from Congress while it lost Kodinar to
the main opposition party which retained Dhoraji.
Out of the seven Assembly seats in Gujarat where
by-polls were held on September 10, six were held by the
Congress while one was with BJP. With today's win, BJP's
strength in the 182-member Assembly goes up to 122 while that
of Congress 54. Others account for six.
The by-elections results will come as a great relief
for Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, after the
unimpressive performance in the Lok Sabha polls and defeat to
Congress in Junagadh Municipal Corporation body elections. In
the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had won 15 of the 26 seats with
the rest going to the Congress.
The by-polls were considered to be test of popularity
of Modi, who chose to abstain from campaigning. Party cadres
and workers celebrated throughout the state.
BJP also secured a wafer-thin majority on its own in
the Uttarakhand Assembly by winning the Vikasnagar seat,
taking its tally to 36 in the 70-member House.
In Madhya Pradesh, the ruling BJP wrested Tendukheda
from Congress which retained Gohad seat.
In Andhra Pradesh and Sikkim, ruling Congress and
Sikkim Democratic Front respectively won Tekkali and
Namchi-Singhithang seats.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, September 14, 2009, 15:08