BJP’s Swaroopji Thakor Wins Gujarat’s Vav Assembly By-Election
Late Surge Secures Victory for BJP After Dramatic Turnaround in Final Rounds
Palanpur, November 23: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clinched victory in the Vav Assembly by-election in Gujarat, with its candidate Swaroopji Thakor defeating Congress’s Gulabsinh Rajput in a dramatic turnaround during the final four rounds of counting. Despite trailing for the first 20 rounds, Thakor pulled ahead to secure the seat, increasing BJP's tally in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly to 162 seats.
The by-election witnessed a voter turnout of 70.54% during polling on November 13. The BJP’s Swaroopji Thakor received 92,176 votes, narrowly defeating Gulabsinh Rajput of Congress, who secured 89,734 votes. Rebel BJP candidate Mavjibhai Patel, who was expected to pose a challenge, garnered only 27,195 votes. Other candidates, including independents and smaller parties, received minor shares of the vote, with 3,360 voters opting for NOTA.
Key Voting and Counting Details
The counting of votes began on Saturday morning at the Government Engineering College in Jagana, Palanpur. The process started with postal ballots, followed by 24 rounds of EVM counting across 321 polling booths covering Vav, Suigam, and Bhabhar tehsils. Out of the 3,10,681 registered voters in the constituency, 2,19,266 cast their votes, comprising 1,20,619 men and 98,647 women.
A total of 159 officials, including 59 counting staff, were deployed at the counting center, which was equipped with CCTV surveillance. Security was bolstered with 400 personnel, including CAPF and SRP forces, ensuring a smooth process.
Background of the Vav Assembly By-Election
The Vav seat was previously held by Congress, with Geniben Thakor winning it in the 2022 Gujarat Assembly elections. However, after being elected as a Member of Parliament from Banaskantha in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections—the only Lok Sabha seat won by Congress in Gujarat—Geniben resigned from the Vav Assembly seat, necessitating the by-election.
The BJP's victory in this key constituency marks a significant gain in northern Gujarat, consolidating its dominance in the state. The win also reflects a shift in voter dynamics, as the Congress struggled to retain its ground in the face of BJP's strategic campaign.
