Ahmedabad: With the counting of votes entering its final phase, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to win at least 25 out of the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat.
However, in a surprise trend, Geniben Thakor of the Congress has taken a decisive lead of over 33,000 votes in the Banaskantha constituency over the BJP’s Rekhaben Chaudhari. The seat was considered a BJP stronghold.
Geniben Thakor, a two-time MLA and the only female Congress representative in the Gujarat Assembly, has long been known for her spirited advocacy of women’s issues and her ability to work across party lines. Her success in Banaskantha, with 662,630 votes and a lead of 33,806 votes over BJP candidate Dr. Rekhaben Hiteshbhai Chaudhari, is due to her campaign and deep connection with her constituents.
Thakor’s innovative approach to her campaign has been widely noted. She initiated a political crowdfunding drive, encouraging her constituents to contribute financially to her nomination deposit, starting at Rs. 11. By promoting a QR code on social media for campaign donations, she galvanized grassroots support and highlighted a sense of participatory democracy, reaching out to voters beyond traditional party mechanisms.
In contrast to her recent success, the history of Banaskantha has been largely dominated by the BJP. In the 2014 elections, Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary of the BJP won with 620,228 votes, a 59.87% vote share, defeating Joitabhai Patel of the INC, who garnered 394,221 votes (38.05% vote share). The margin of victory was a substantial 226,007 votes, reflecting the broader wave of support for the BJP and Narendra Modi’s leadership.
The BJP’s dominance continued in the 2019 elections, with Parbatbhai Patel representing the party and securing 716,825 votes, a 65.6% vote share. His opponent from the INC, Paranjayadityasinh Parmar, received 361,112 votes, translating to a 33.04% vote share. The margin of victory was 355,713 votes, showcasing the electorate’s continued trust in the BJP’s leadership and policies.
–IANS
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