AAP's Gopal Italia Triumphs in Visavadar By-Election, Shakes BJP Stronghold

In a major electoral upset, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Gopal Italia clinched a decisive victory in the Visavadar (Gujarat) Assembly by-election, beating the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Kirit Patel by a margin of 17,554 votes. This victory has been marked as a significant political development in Gujarat.

The win comes after Visavadar's seat was vacated following the resignation of Bhayani Bhupendrabhai Gandubhai. The turnout resulted in Italia receiving a total of 75,942 votes, signaling a strong backing from the electorate. Celebrations erupted among AAP party members as Italia's win was cemented.

Following the victory, AAP's Gujarat leadership, including Isudan Gadhvi and Anup Sharma, expressed optimism about forming a government in 2027. The party sees this as not only a win for Italia but a harbinger of a larger political tide against the BJP. The results have bolstered AAP's confidence in challenging longstanding political party dominance in various Indian states.

(With inputs from agencies.)