Most of BJP’s top state leadership in Gujarat won their seats

Ahmedabad, Dec 18 (IANS) Adding to its victory cheer, the BJP's top state leadership in Gujarat won their seats, while the Congress saw many of its top state leaders bite the dust.

BJP's Chief Minister Vijay Rupani retained his Rajkot (West) seat against Congress' Indranil Rajyaguru -- the richest candidate in the fray -- by a little over 21,000 votes. Rupani got 52,155 votes, while Rajyaguru got 29,938 votes. Current Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala won from this seat seven times earlier.

Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel trounced his Congress rival Jivabhai Patel by 12,784 votes in his home turf Mehsana, which is the home town of Patel quota stir leader Hardik Patel. Nitin Patel was expected to face a stiff challenge here. He secured 68,785 votes in comparison to his Congress rival who got 56,311 votes.

State BJP chief Jitu Vaghani retained his Bhavnagar (West) seat against Congress rival Dilipsinh Gohel. Vaghani polled 75,883 votes, compared to 51,017 by his rival.

Revenue and Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama won by just 300 votes in Dholka, while Home Minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja trounced his Congress rival Bipin Patel by 62,380 votes. Jadeja polled 1,31,133 votes.

Former Energy Minister in Anandiben Patel's government Saurabh Patel won from Botad constituency by 1,221 votes. Saurabh Patel had changed his seat from Akota in Vadodara to his former constituency Botad.

However, there were losers too in the ruling party. Health Minister, cooperative leader and Chief Ministerial aspirant Shankar Chaudhari lost from Vav constituency to his Congress rival Geniben Thakor by about 6,800 votes.

Assembly Speaker Ramanlal Vora, who moved from Idar to Dasada (SC) seat, lost to his Congress rival Naushadhji Solanki by a margin of 844 votes. While Vora polled 57,818 votes, his rival got 58,488 votes. Here NOTA played a crucial role, with 3,057 opting for no candidates.

Senior leader, Jaynarayan Vyas lost from Sidhpur to Congress' Chandanji Thakor by 17,200 votes. Vyas got the seat after Balwantsinh Rajput of Congress moved to BJP. Rajput had defeated Vyas in 2012.

Dilip Sanghani, a close confidante of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, failed to again make it, losing to J.V. Kakadiya of Congress by over 15,000 votes.

Patel strongman Narayan Lallu Patel, a 77-year-old veteran, lost in Unjha to his Congress competitor Ashaben Patel by 19,000 votes. Former Home Minister Rajni Patel, whose office was burnt in Viramgam during the Patel quota stir, lost to Bharat Thakor by over 19,000 votes.