In an unprecedented wave in favour of BJP in Gujarat, several co-operators who tried their luck in the Assembly elections easily romped home. There were close to ten co-operators in the fray, in which only one candidate named Jigneshkumar Sevak from Lunawada constituency failed to win.
Explaining the massive victory, NAFCUB President and an RSS man Jyotindra Mehta said the people of the state rallied behind Narendra Modi when they saw that the entire opposition wanted to defeat him. “It was more of peoples’ support than party workers’ efforts”, stated Mehta recalling a similar wave in favour of Indira Gandhi when the entire Opposition targeted her.
Some of the notable winners included former minister Ishwarsinh Patel, IFFCO Director Jayesh Radadiya, Banas Dairy Chairman, Shankarbhai Chaudhary and Panchmahal DCCB Chairman Jethabhai Bharwad.
Banas Dairy Chairman Shankarbhai Chaudhary fought the elections on the BJP ticket from Tharad constituency securing 1,16,842 votes whereas his rival Gulabsinh Rajput from INC received 90,977 votes.
Besides, Rajkot District Cooperative Bank Chairman and IFFCO Director Jayeshbhai Radadiya who got the ticket from Jetpur constituency from BJP, received 1,06,135 votes, whereas his rivals from INC DeepakbhaiVekariya and Rohitbhai Bhuva received 12,200 and 29,287 votes respectively.
BJP’s candidate and Bharuch District Cooperative Bank Chairman Arunsinh Rana won the election by huge margins. Rana got 82,790 votes whereas his rival Suleman Patel from INC received 69,380 votes.
Panchmahal District Cooperative Bank Chairman Jethabhai Bharwad who contested the election as the BJP candidate from Shehera constituency, got 1,07,082 votes and his rival Khatubhai Pagi (INC) received 59,986 votes.
Mahisagar District Cooperative Union Director and BJP Candidate Jigneshkumar Sevak lost the election.
Bardoli Sugar Factory Director Ishwarbhai Parmar and Surat DCCB Director Mukesh Patel contested the elections on BJP’s ticket from Bardoli and Olpad constituency respectively. Both won the elections. Parmar got 1,18,140 votes and Patel 1,72,055 votes.
Amul Dairy former Chairman Ramsinh Parmar’s son Yogendrasinh Parmar won the election. He contested the election on the BJP’s ticket from Thasra constituency. Junior Parmar got 1,20,885 votes whereas Kantibhai Parmar of INC got only 59,185 votes.
Yogesh Patel who fought the election on the Bharatiya Janata Party ticket defeated the sitting congress MLA Kanti Sodha Parmar in Anand, known for the world famous Amul Dairy brand. Patel got 1,11,226 votes whereas Parmar received 69,656 votes.
However, BJP’s performance was not encouraging from Himachal where its candidate and former Chairman of Kailash Cooperative Union Ravi Mehta who fought the election from the Shimla Rural constituency against the INC candidate Vikramaditya Singh, lost the election. He got only 20,915 voters whereas Singh received 34,334.