AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said people are fed up with the BJP in Gujarat and stressed that people had rejected both Congress and BJP in the bypolls. AAP leader Gopal Italia won the Visavadar seat, while BJP's Rajendra Chavda bagged the Kadi seat on Monday, as counting for bypolls to the two constituencies in Gujarat concluded, officials said. AAP candidate Sanjeev Arora appears to be heading for a victory from the Ludhiana West assembly seat in Punjab leading with a margin of over 7,000 votes against his nearest rival and Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu, according to initial trends. Kejriwal said the results of Ludhiana West show that the people of Punjab are very happy with the work of the government and they have given more votes as compared to 2022. "The people of Gujarat are now fed up with BJP and they are seeing hope in Aam Aadmi Party," he said in a post on X in Hindi. Thanking the people of Punjab and Gujarat, Kejriwal said people had rejected both BJP and Congress in these bypolls. "Many congratulations to all of you on the splendid victory of Aam Aadmi Party in Visavadar seat of Gujarat and Ludhiana West seat of Punjab. Many congratulations and many thanks to the people of Gujarat and Punjab. In both the places, the victory margin has been almost double as compared to the last election," Kejriwal said in a post on X in Hindi. "Both the parties, Congress and BJP, contested the elections together in both the places. Both of them had the same objective - to defeat AAP. But people rejected both these parties in both the places," he claimed in the post. Celebrations erupted at the AAP headquarters in Delhi here with party workers distributing laddoos to celebrate the twin victories.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Gopal Italia secured a victory in the Visavadar Assembly by-election in Gujarat, defeating Bharatiya Janata Party’s Kirit Patel by a margin of over 17,000 votes. The bypoll, necessitated by the resignation of sitting MLA Bhupat Bhayani, witnessed a triangular contest among AAP, BJP and Congress. However, it was Italia -- AAP’s Gujarat face and former state president -- who emerged as the clear frontrunner early in the counting process and maintained a steady lead throughout the day. According to the Election Commission of India, Italia polled 75,942 votes, while Kirit Patel secured 58,388 votes. The Congress candidate, Nitin Ranpariya, got only 5,501 votes, trailing far behind, reflecting the party's continued struggle in Gujarat’s changing political landscape. Speaking after his win, Italia said, “This victory belongs to the people of Visavadar. They have voted for clean politics, local development, and a strong alternative. This is just the beginning.” Italia’s win marks a breakthrough for AAP in Saurashtra, a region traditionally dominated by the BJP and Congress. The result is being seen as a morale booster for AAP as it gears up for the 2027 Gujarat Assembly elections. Political analysts say this bypoll could indicate a shift in voter sentiment, especially among rural and youth voters, many of whom were seen gravitating towards AAP’s promises of employment, education reform, and anti-corruption measures. The BJP, while conceding defeat, maintained that it remains the dominant force in Gujarat and attributed the loss to local factors. Senior leaders said the party would introspect and recalibrate its approach in the region. Visavadar, part of the Junagadh district, is a politically significant seat with a strong agrarian voter base.
The seat had swung between Congress and the BJP in past elections, but this is the first time it has gone to AAP, signalling the party’s growing grassroots presence. Italia became widely known in January 2017, when he, still a government employee, publicly challenged Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel over alleged violations of the state’s liquor prohibition. Shortly after, he hurled a shoe at Home Minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja, shouting "down with corruption" -- a dramatic act that led to his suspension and resignation. Between 2018 and 2020, Italia was associated with the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), organising “Kayda Katha” public sessions to educate citizens on constitutional rights and laws. He joined the AAP in June 2020 as Gujarat Vice President, rose to become state president by December 2020, and held that post until January 2023. Under his leadership, AAP made its electoral debut in the February 2021 local body polls, winning 27 seats in Surat and one in Gandhinagar. In the 2022 state elections, the party secured nearly 13 per cent of the vote and earned five Assembly seats.