Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are scheduled to participate in the local self-government elections in Gujarat on April 26. PM Modi will vote at Nishan School in Ranip, Ahmedabad, while Amit Shah is expected to cast his vote in the city. This election cycle involves municipal corporations, municipalities, and panchayati raj institutions, making it one of the largest rounds of local body elections in recent years in the state.
Former Chief Minister and Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel will vote from the Thaltej area, and Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel is likely to vote in Navsari. Polling will take place from 7 A.M. to 6 P.M. using Electronic Voting Machines, with vote counting scheduled for April 28. The elections will encompass 15 municipal corporations, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats, and 260 taluka panchayats, with over 10,000 seats at stake.
More than 4.19 crore voters are expected to participate in the elections across nearly 50,000 polling stations. The electoral contest is anticipated to be multi-cornered, with the BJP, Congress, AAP, and Independents fielding candidates. With over 20,000 candidates in the fray post-withdrawals and some elected unopposed, this election marks the first one after the implementation of 27% reservation for OBCs, alongside existing quotas for SCs, STs, and women, which will impact the local governance body’s composition.
Campaigning has intensified as polling day approaches, leading political parties to adjust their outreach strategies accordingly.
