BJP secures clean sweep in GMC polls; AAP makes entry

BJP wins GMC polls
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The incumbent BJP-led alliance in Assam won 58 seats in the 60-seat Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) polls on April 24, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) registered its presence in the civic body.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 52 wards, including three that were previously elected uncontested by saffron party candidates, according to the Assam State Election Commission. BJP’s ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) won six of the seven wards it contested.

The AAP and the Asom Jatiya Parishad (AJP), a local party, both won one seat each in the civic elections, which was a notable milestone.

Masuma Begum, an AAP candidate, won ward 42, while Hukum Shan Ali Boxi, an AJP candidate, won ward one, beating the BJP and AGP candidates, respectively.

The major opposition Congress, which ran candidates in 54 wards this time, was unable to register even a single win in the GMC elections, which took place after a nine-year hiatus.

The Congress’ ally CPI-M, which ran in four wards, did not win any of them. In all, 197 persons ran for election in 57 wards.

The previous GMC election was in 2013, when the Congress party won the coveted civic body. However, due to internal squabbles, numerous elected councillors switched to the BJP in 2014 and 2015, allowing the saffron party to establish the municipal board.

The Aam Aadmi Party had nominated 38 candidates. The AAP is looking to strengthen its foothold in Assam and the Northeast region following its victory in the recent Punjab Assembly elections and its first taste of success in two municipal wards in Lakhimpur and Tinsukia districts in last month’s civic polls.

On April 22, 52.80% of the 7,96,829 voters exercised their right to vote in the GMC elections.

In the politically significant election, electronic voting machines were deployed.

Prime minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, among others, thanked Guwahati residents on their decision to vote for the BJP-led coalition.

Modi tweeted: “Thank you Guwahati! The people of this lovely city have given a resounding mandate to BJP to build on the agenda of development. They have also blessed the hardwork of the state government under CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. My gratitude to every BJP Karyakarta for the hardwork.”

“I bow my head to the people of Guwahati for giving BJP and its allies a historic win in GMC Elections. With this massive mandate, people have reaffirmed their faith on our development journey under the guidance of PM Narendra Modi,” the Assam chief minister tweeted.

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