Gujarat's Local Body Elections: A Political Battleground

Voting for local body elections in Gujarat commenced on Sunday morning, covering 15 municipal corporations and 84 municipalities. Polls opened at 7 am and will continue until 6 pm, following the State Election Commission's schedule.

With 15 municipal corporations, including Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, and Rajkot, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats, and 260 taluka panchayats up for grabs, this represents one of the largest electoral exercises in the state. More than 4.18 crore voters are eligible to vote, with 9,992 candidates in the race. Security measures include a three-tier system, CCTV surveillance, and special squads deployed in sensitive areas.

The ruling BJP, Congress, AAP, and AIMIM are the main contenders, with noteworthy candidates like former Gujarat-cadre IPS officer M L Ninama and ex-radio jockey Abha Desai joining the fray. The elections also involve newly-created municipal corporations. Counting of votes is set for April 28, with extensive campaigning witnessed across major parties.

(With inputs from agencies.)