Bypoll: AAP Retains Visavadar Seat, Kadi Remains a Stronghold of BJP

The ruling BJP in Gujarat was unable to end its 18-year jinx in Visavadar as it lost the bypolls to Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) despite a strong campaign.

- AGENCIES

AAP leader Gopal Italia retained the seat in Junagadh district for his party, defeating his BJP rival Kirit Patel by a margin of 17,554 votes.

Italia, the former Gujarat president of AAP, received 75,942 votes; Patel got 58,388 votes after the end of total 21 rounds of counting, as per the data shared by the Election Commission.

In Kadi seat of Mehsana district, reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates, BJP's Rajendra Chavda emerged victorious by a margin of 39,452 votes over Congress' Ramesh Chavda.

While Rajendra Chavda received 99,742 votes, former Congress MLA Ramesh Chavda managed to secure 60,290 votes.

Results of the bypolls to the two seats were declared during the day.

After facing defeat on both the seats, Gujarat Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil tendered his resignation "on moral grounds".

BJP leaders earlier said they were hoping to break the 18-year jinx in Visavadar, where the party last tasted victory in 2007.

After his victory, Italia said BJP failed to win despite putting all its efforts in Visavadar, a seat once represented by former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel.