Anand/New Delhi, 04 May (H.S.):

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has retained its stronghold in the Umreth Assembly constituency of Anand district in Gujarat, registering a decisive victory in the by‑election held on Sunday. BJP candidate Harshadbhai Govindbhai Parmar defeated his nearest rival, Congress candidate Bhagjarajsingh Chauhan, by more than 30,000 votes, underscoring the party’s continued dominance in the seat.

According to the Election Commission of India, Harshadbhai Govindbhai Parmar secured 85,500 votes, while Congress candidate Bhagjarajsingh Chauhan received 54,757 votes. The winning margin between the two main contenders stood at 30,743 votes. In third place, independent candidate Mahendrabhai Natvarbhai Parmar polled only 786 votes.

The Umreth seat fell vacant after the death of the sitting BJP MLA, Govind Parmar. The BJP fielded his son Harshadbhai as its candidate, who successfully defended the family‑held bastion and avoided a repeat of the Congress’ 2017 surprise win in the same constituency.

After conceding defeat, Chauhan alleged irregularities in the electronic voting machines (EVMs), raising doubts about the fairness of the result. He claimed that the scale of the loss was unexpected and hinted at possible technical glitches in the EVMs, although he has not yet formally moved any electoral petition. Election officials have stated that the vote‑counting process was conducted in accordance with established protocols and under robust security.

The by‑poll polling took place on 23 April, recording a voter turnout of approximately 59.04 percent. A total of six candidates contested, but the contest was effectively a two‑horse race between the BJP and the Congress. The constituency has about 2.45 lakh registered voters, for whom the administration had set up 306 polling stations.

The result reinforces the BJP’s rural base in central Gujarat, while the Congress will need to reassess its strategy in a region that has remained largely dominated by the ruling party for over a decade.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar