
1. When and Why?
- Held on June 19, 2025, two key constituencies went to polls: Visavadar (Junagadh) and Kadi (Mehsana).
- These were prompted by:
- Visavadar: resignation and defection of AAP MLA Bhupat Bhayani to BJP
- Kadi: death of sitting BJP MLA Karsanbhai Solanki
2. Key Contests & Candidates
Visavadar (Junagadh)
- A triangular contest between:
- Gopal Italia (AAP), backed by high‑profile campaigners including Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann
- Kirit Patel (BJP), local leader and ex‑cooperative bank chairman
- Nitin Ranpariya (Congress), representing farmer interests
- Demographics, especially the Patidar community, made the race closely watched .
- Noteworthy turnout: 56.9%, slightly up from 2022’s 56.59%
Kadi (Mehsana)
- Main contest:
- Rajendra Chavda (BJP).
- Ramesh Chavda (Congress) and Jagdish Chavda (AAP)
- Moderate voter engagement: 57.9% turnout .
3. Election-Day Innovations
- Nationwide bypolls featured:
- 100% web‑casting for transparency.
- Mobile deposit zones to prevent digital disruptions.
- Live turnout tracking
- Visavadar highlights:
- 294 polling booths, including 29 eco‑friendly “Green Booths” decorated with mango and asopalav leaves, distributing saplings
- A special remote booth inside Gir forest with video-recording due to no network
- Security measures: voters had to deposit mobile phones before voting
4. Results Snapshot: June 23, 2025
- Visavadar: AAP’s Gopal Italia won with 75,942 votes, defeating BJP’s Kirit Patel and Congress’s Nitin Ranpariya
- Kadi: BJP’s Rajendra Chavda triumphed decisively, earning 98,836 votes and defeating Congress and AAP candidates
5. Political Implications
- BJP retains Kadi, maintaining dominance in Mehsana.
- AAP’s breakthrough in Visavadar may signal their growing influence in Gujarat — a BJP stronghold
- Viewed as a barometer of voter sentiment post national events (e.g., Operation Sindoor), these results may forecast dynamics for the 2027 elections
In Summary
Constituency | Winner | Party | Turnout | Key Takeaway |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kadi | Rajendra Chavda | BJP | 58% | BJP holds ground in Mehsana |
Visavadar | Gopal Italia | AAP | 57% | AAP scores major win in Saurashtra |
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The June 2025 by-elections in Gujarat revealed both continuity and change: BJP’s sustained hold in Kadi, contrasted with AAP’s rise in Visavadar. Initiatives like “Green Booths,” mobile‑deposit zones, and full webcasting signal a modernizing election machinery. As Gujarat gears up for full assembly polls, the AAP win injects fresh competition—and new narratives—into the political arena.
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