Navsari, April 13 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in Gujarat's Navsari district celebrated after winning 41 seats across multiple local bodies unopposed in the ongoing local self-government elections, reflecting a series of victories ahead of polling later this month.​

According to party leaders, BJP candidates were elected unopposed to three seats of the Navsari Municipal Corporation, six seats of the district panchayat, 11 seats of taluka panchayats, and 21 seats of the Gandevi municipality.​

Party workers celebrated the outcome across the district following the confirmation of these results.​

State Cabinet Minister Naresh Patel said, “The unopposed victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Gandevi Municipality is a matter of pride for the entire BJP family.”​

Meanwhile, in Ahmedabad, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Ketan Patel withdrew his nomination from the Odhav ward in the Nikol Assembly constituency, a seat represented by state BJP president Jagdish Vishwakarma.​

He subsequently joined the BJP along with a number of his supporters, according to the party.​

The BJP state leadership, including Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, is leading the campaign in various districts alongside party leaders.​

The developments come amid heightened political activity across Gujarat as campaigning and withdrawals continue in the run-up to the local body polls.​

The broader election process is underway for municipal corporations, municipalities, district panchayats and taluka panchayats across Gujarat.​

Voting for these local body elections is scheduled for April 26, with counting on April 28.​

The deadline for withdrawal of nominations is April 15, following scrutiny of nomination papers.​

The elections cover thousands of seats across urban and rural local bodies and are being seen as an important indicator of political trends at the grassroots level, with participation from major parties including the BJP, Congress and the AAP.​

--IANS

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