Surat, India - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strengthened its position in the Surat Municipal Council, as 10 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councilors have officially joined the party. This development brings the BJP's presence to all wards in Surat for the first time since 2000.
Six councilors from the AAP joined the BJP as part of a secret campaign, while four others had already left the AAP. With these new members, the BJP now holds 103 seats in the Surat Municipal Council, while the AAP has only 17. This marks a historic moment for the BJP, as it has not had councilors in every ward of the city since 1995 when it won 98 out of 99 seats.
Although the BJP has held a majority in recent years, it did not have councilors in certain wards. In the 2021 elections, the AAP won the entire panel in Ward No. 2, 3, 4, 5, 16, and 17, leaving the BJP without representation in six wards despite having 93 out of 120 councilors.
The addition of the 10 former AAP councilors has allowed the BJP to create history once again, establishing a presence in all wards of Surat after 23 years.
