Gujarat Local Body Election Result 2026 highlights: Kejriwal's Gujarat push hit as AAP underperforms across civic bodies

The only relief for AAP lies in select pockets, particularly tribal areas where leaders like Chaitar Vasava helped the party secure a district panchayat and a few taluka panchayats. Some gains were also seen in Saurashtra under local leadership.

However, the broader numbers suggest the party remains far from displacing Congress as the main opposition, making its path to the next Assembly elections significantly more challenging.
 

Surat, once the launchpad of AAP’s Gujarat ambitions, has turned into a major setback. From winning 27 corporation seats in 2021, the party has now been reduced to just 4. Its Leader of Opposition Payal Sakariya and state general secretary both lost their contests.

Several councillors had earlier switched to the BJP, weakening the party’s base ahead of the polls. The results underline a sharp reversal in urban support.

Led by Arvind Kejriwal, the AAP had pitched these elections as a stepping stone to becoming Gujarat’s main opposition. However, the results show limited gains: just 6 seats in 15 municipal corporations, 18 in municipalities, 57 in district panchayats, and 395 in taluka panchayats.

While the party managed pockets of strength in tribal regions and a district panchayat win in Narmada, its overall performance remains scattered and dependent on local leaders.
 

The Gujarat local body election results have dealt a setback to the Aam Aadmi Party’s ambition of emerging as the principal opposition in the state. According to Election Commission data till evening, the party secured around 574–600 seats out of nearly 10,000, trailing the Congress, which has won more than twice that number.

Despite mid-day claims of being in second place, the final trends showed AAP falling behind, raising questions over its statewide expansion ahead of the Assembly polls next year.

According to State Election Commission data, the Congress has secured 1,412 seats, while Independents and other parties, including AAP and AIMIM, have won 597 seats so far. The BJP has also recorded victories in multiple municipal corporations, crossing the halfway mark in several key cities including Surat, Navsari, Porbandar, Morbi and Jamnagar.

Modi said the party will work harder in the coming years, crediting BJP workers for their grassroots efforts and continued connect with people.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the people of Gujarat have voted for the BJP’s politics of good governance, citing the state government’s work as a key factor behind the sweeping mandate. In a post on X, he thanked voters for strengthening the party’s bond with the state across municipal corporations, nagarpalikas, taluka and district panchayats.

With counting underway, the BJP has already won 6,472 of over 9,900 seats, establishing a decisive lead over rivals.

Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi described the results as the BJP’s “biggest-ever victory” in local body elections, thanking party workers and voters for the outcome. He said the results reflect the hard work of cadre on the ground, from villages to cities.

Sanghavi also claimed attempts were made to influence voters by spending large sums and provoking unrest, but said such efforts failed as people backed the BJP decisively.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said the people of Gujarat have supported the BJP with “wisdom” and given a clear reply to the opposition. He said voters chose positive politics over negativity, crediting the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the party’s governance.

He added that the BJP will continue to work among the people and uphold the trust reposed in it through the civic poll mandate.
 

The BJP continued its surge in smaller municipal corporations, winning all 52 seats in Porbandar and Morbi, and 51 of 52 seats each in Nadiad and Surendranagar. In Navsari, the party secured 50 seats, while in Mehsana it won 47.

In Vapi, the BJP won 37 seats, with Congress securing 11 and independents 4. Across most निगम bodies, the Congress and AAP remained marginal players, highlighting the BJP’s overwhelming control in Gujarat’s urban civic landscape.

The BJP has delivered a sweeping performance across Gujarat’s municipal corporations, securing massive leads in key cities. In Ahmedabad, the party won 158 of 192 seats, while in Surat it bagged 115 seats, leaving AAP with 4 and Congress with 1. Rajkot saw the BJP win 65 of 72 seats, while in Vadodara it secured 69 of 76 seats.

The party also posted strong wins in Bhavnagar (44/52), Karmasad-Anand (43/52), Gandhi­dham (41/52), and Jamnagar (54/64), reinforcing its urban dominance.

The BJP has delivered a dominant performance across Rajkot, winning 65 of 72 seats in the Municipal Corporation, while the Congress secured 7 and AAP failed to open its account. In the Rajkot District Panchayat, the BJP won 34 of 36 seats, with Congress and AAP managing one seat each.

Across the district, the BJP emerged as the clear frontrunner, winning 155 of 202 seats overall, compared to 24 for AAP and 23 for Congress. The party also won 10 of 11 taluka panchayats, with one ending in a tie.

The BJP has registered a sweeping victory in the Surat Municipal Corporation, winning 115 out of 127 seats and tightening its long-standing grip over the civic body. The Aam Aadmi Party managed to secure just 4 seats, while the Congress opened its account after five years with 1 seat.

The result marks a sharp decline for AAP, which had won 27 seats in the previous election. The party also faced key losses, with its state general secretary and Leader of Opposition in the corporation both losing their respective contests.

The BJP has also emerged as the leading force in rural local bodies. In 34 district panchayats with 1,090 seats, the party won 568 seats, while Congress secured 77 and others 30.

Across 260 taluka panchayats with 5,234 seats, the BJP claimed 2,397 seats. Congress won 591, while others took 329, indicating a broad-based lead for the party beyond urban regions.

The BJP has delivered a sweeping performance across Gujarat’s urban local bodies. Out of 1,044 seats in 15 municipal corporations, the party won 856 seats, far ahead of the Congress, which secured 77, while others managed 12.

In 84 municipalities covering 2,030 seats, the BJP bagged 1,791 seats. Congress won 414, and others secured 144, reinforcing the party’s stronghold across urban centres.

Reacting to the sweeping win in Surat, CR Patil said India’s growing global strength stems from the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also pointed to the role of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, saying decisive action has curbed extremism and strengthened national security.

He said BJP workers deliver strong governance at every level, Centre, state and civic bodies, which is why public trust in the party continues to hold firm.