Gujarat bypolls: BJP wins four assembly seats; Congress two

AHMEDABAD: uling BJP is leading in five Assembly seats in Gujarat while Congress is ahead on four, according to early trends in counting of votes for by-polls in nine constituencies across the state.

Initial rounds of counting indicated a neck and neck fight on at least five seats in the Assembly elections.

The BJP is leading in Anand, Tankara, Maninagar, Talaja and Limkheda Assembly seats while the Congress is leading in Khambalia, Matar, Mangrol and Deesa, according to election officials.

All the seats were earlier held by BJP and were vacated after their sitting MLAs were elected as MPs including Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was three times MLA from Maninagar seat.

The by-polls are also considered to be test for new Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel under whose leadership, the elections are being held for the first time here.