Junagadh civic polls records 54% voting

GANDHINAGAR: Barring some skirmish, Junagadh Municipal Coprporation election passed off peacefully with 54.17% polling. The fate of 158 candidates contesting across 20 wards would be declared on Tuesday. The civic poll is the first one after Narendra Modi moved to Delhi in May and Anandiben Patel became the first woman Chief Minister of the state.

Junagadh got its municipal corporation in 2003 and the first civic body was formed by BJP, which had won 35 out of 51 seatsacross 17 city wards in the maiden election in 2004. However, in 2009, Congress took over the civic body from BJP by winning 28 seats.

However, with eight Congress corporators shifting their allegiance to BJP recently, Congress was reduced to minority. It may be mentioned here that out of the six municipal corporations in Gujarat, Junagadh is the only one ruled by Congress.

While BJP leaders have been confident of winning Junagadh civic polls, the challenge for Anandiben Patel will be to ensure victory for BJP in the by-polls for 9 assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat later this year.