Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly election counting has been officially ended. Election Commission has declared BJP has the single largest party in Gujarat state and Congress has single largest party in Himachal Pradesh. Both of them gained unflinching majorities to form governments in respective states. BJP won 156 seats out of 182 in Gujarat and created unattainable record. They broke 37 years old record of Congress in the same state off winning 149 seats. In Himachal Pradesh, Congress won 40 seats out of 68 Assembly seats to become single largest party.
BJP got 1,67,07,957 votes in the Gujarat polls. They got 52.50% of total votes polled. Congress won in 17 seats and got 86,83,966 votes (27.3%). AAP got 41,12,055 votes (12.9%). If we add votes received by both the parties as unified opposition, still BJP got more votes than them to be able to win with such a clear mandate in Gujarat. The records created by BJP in this state, during their 7th win, when everyone thought they would lose is a huge political lesson for upcoming political parties for sure.
On the other hand, Congress won with narrow voting percentage difference in Himachal Pradesh. Congress got 18,52,504 votes (43.9%) of total votes. BJP won 25 seats and got 18,14,530 votes (43%). Congress won in many seats with narrow margins and hence, BJP might look push for by-elections in the state before 2024 Parliament elections. AAP got 46,270 votes (1.10%) in Himachal Pradesh.
Gujarat mandate while it is clearly in favor of BJP, Himachal Pradesh mandate seems to be undecided and Congress found a way to slightly perform better with anti-incumbency playing in their favor. BJP would take Gujarat as their biggest win while Himachal Pradesh as their immediate lesson to work along with party cadre even more actively.
KTR accuses BJP of partiality against Telangana Singareni Collieries. Read here.
